Pioneers of MRI scans win Nobel Prize
This year's Nobel Prize for medicine has been jointly awarded to British scientist Sir Peter Mansfield and American scientist Paul Lauterbur, for their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging. Sir Peter is a professor of physics at the University of Nottingham. Based on a discovery made by previous Nobel laureates on how atomic nuclei rotate in a strong magnetic field, Sir Peter further developed the utilisation of gradients in the magnetic field. He showed how the signals can be mathematically analysed, which made it possible to develop a useful imaging technique. He also showed how extremely fast imaging can be achieved. Paul Lauterbur, from the University of Illinois, discovered how to create a two-dimensional picture by introducing gradients in the magnetic field. By analysing the characteristics of the emitted radio waves, he could determine their origin. This made it possible to build up two-dimensional pictures of structures that could not be visualised with other methods. 'The scientists' discoveries have led to the development of modern magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, which represents a breakthrough in medical diagnostics and research,' claimed the Karolinska Institute who awarded the scientists with the 1.3 million euro prize. MRI has significantly improved diagnostics in many diseases, replacing invasive and uncomfortable methods of examination and reducing risk and discomfort for many patients. As a result, it is now a part and parcel of medical diagnostics with more than 60 million investigations with MRI performed worldwide each year.
Countries
United Kingdom, United States