New Technique Speeds NanoMRI Imaging

NanoMRI, a nondestructive, high-resolution 3D scanning technique, has become a powerful tool for researchers and companies who want to explore the shape and function of biological materials, such as virus and cells, much in the same way that clinical MRI machines enable investigation of whole tissues in the body. However, producing images with near-atomic resolution is difficult and time consuming — a single nanoMRI scan can take weeks to complete. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, researchers in Switzerland developed a parallel measurement technique, also referred to as “multiplexing.” The new technique can measure information at the same time with a single detector, instead of sequentially. “As a loose analogy, think of how your eyes register green, red and blue information at the same time using different receptors — you’re measuring different colors in parallel,” said a key researcher on the team. The research team’s work greatly accelerates the speed of nanoMRI measurements, and could allow for potential commercial implementation. To read more about this study, click here.