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First Human MRI Scan
Caption:
The first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of a live human body (a cross section of the live human chest). NSF-supported fundamental research led to the development of MRI technology. [See related images: Sagittal MRI Image of Brain and First Magnetic Resonance Scanner.]
More about this Image
Fundamental research, supported by the NSF, led to the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. MRI is widely used in hospitals for purposes like detecting tumors and internal tissue damage in patients, and investigating differences in brain tissue.
MRI technology works like this. An MRI imager surrounds a patient with magnets. The magnetic field created by the magnets causes atomic nuclei in the patient’s body to line up parallel to the field. A coil in the imager jars the nuclei with radio waves. They resonate, producing a faint radio signal that a computer amplifies and translates into an image. Unlike X-rays or CAT scans, MRI lets doctors distinguish blood vessels from malignant tissue.
(Preview Only)
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| Credit: |
Courtesy FONAR Corporation |
| Year of Image: |
1977 |
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Categories:
HISTORICAL
MATHEMATICAL / General
PHYSICS / Nuclear Physics
Formats Available:
Restrictions:
No additional restrictions--beyond NSF's general restrictions--have been placed on this image. For a list of general restrictions that apply to this and all images in the NSF Image Library, see the section "Conditions".
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