MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Together, NMR and MRI revolutionized the practice of chemistry and medicine by providing fast, non-destructive, and non-invasive means for the observation of matter from the atomic to the macroscopic scale.
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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has become a staple of medical diagnostics. Millions of Americans have had an MRI; it is a useful non-invasive and non-destructive diagnostic tool for imaging soft tissues such as the brain, heart and muscles, and for discovering tumors in many organs. MRI is an application of NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), an analytical tool of chemists found in laboratories worldwide.
NMR is a phenomenon that occurs when the nuclei of some, but not all, atoms in a static magnetic field and are subjected to a second oscillating electromagnetic field in the form of radio frequency radiation, which causes the nucleus to resonate. NMR spectroscopy is the use of NMR phenomena to study the physical, chemical, and biological properties of matter. Chemists use it to determine molecular identity and structure. Medical practitioners employ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a multidimensional NMR imaging technique, for diagnostic purposes.
Together, NMR and MRI revolutionized the practice of chemistry and medicine by providing fast, non-destructive, and non-invasive means for the observation of matter from the atomic to the macroscopic scale.
The American Chemical Society designated the development of MRI by Paul Lauterbur as a National Historic Chemical Landmark at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, on March 8, 2011. The text of the plaque commemorating the development reads:
On this site, in the early 1970s, Paul C. Lauterbur demonstrated that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) could be used to generate images of macroscopic objects. In the years following, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been refined as a technique for the detailed resolution of internal structures. Lauterbur’s invention thus created a powerful diagnostic tool for the non-invasive examination of body tissues such as the brain, heart, and muscles. It allows for the early detection of cancer and other diseases. Lauterbur shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his role in the development of MRI.
Visit National Historic Chemical Landmarks to read more about NMR and MRI.
Excerpted with permission, National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program
www.acs.org/landmarks