Improved MRI

A Florida State University researcher has collaborated in a research project that could lead to ways of producing even sharper magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images.

Naresh Dalal, the Dirac Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at FSU, recently conducted experiments with other researchers from FSU, the University of Colorado and the National Institute of Standards and Technology that uncovered unique properties in a molecular magnet, properties that could significantly increase the resolution of MRIs. Their paper, ‘Efficacy of the Single-Molecule Magnet Fe8 for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent Over a Broad Range of Concentration,’ was published in the current issue of Polyhedron.

‘There are continual efforts to enhance the level of image clarity found in today's MRI devices,’ Dalal said. ‘MRIs utilise injectable dyes, but those in current use, while easy to manufacture, offer a relatively low contrast. Our experiments show that a class of materials known as single-molecule magnets might produce greater contrast in medical imaging, meaning MRIs would be much more accurate.’