SGER: Radiationless Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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In this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER), funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Alexej Jerschow of New York University and his graduate research students will investigate the possibility of using the measured nuclear spin-noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. The goal is to be able to obtain one- two- and three-dimensional images of materials without the application of radio-frequency radiation.MR imaging is a powerful method that allows one to obtain images of the interiors of opaque objects. It is useful in looking at non-living material systems (e.g. polymers), and it has become a very valuable medical diagnostic tool for non-invasive imaging of living subjects. As the magnetic field strengths of MRI instruments increase (for obtaining better image contrast), the amount of radio-frequency radiation that must be dumped into the sample increases, with measurable effects (heating). The promise of the method is that it may allow one to obtain MR images, without the need for radio-frequency excitation. This would allow the acquisition of medical images without exposing the subject to large amounts of radio-frequency radiation. In addition, thermally sensitive materials (e.g. explosives) could be imaged safely.