Head Beats

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) spots differences in the magnetic properties of human tissues, scanning for disease or injury. Usually the images are static, perhaps missing subtle details of our beating and pulsing organs. Here though, MRI evolves in two ways – by amplifying the pulsing movements of tiny brain structures up to 25 times, researchers capture and assess their patterns more acutely. Then, by scanning the brain from different angles, they can create 3D computer models and videos to reveal flowing currents of blood or cerebrospinal fluid. The new technique, known as 3D amplified MRI, may help to detect the early signs of conditions that disrupt these patterns, such as obstructive brain disorders and aneurysms. In the future, similar techniques may peer inside other organs too, perhaps revealing their hidden rhythms.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Outlined in Terem et al. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (2021) & Abderezaei et al. Brain Multiphysics (2021)
• Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA
• Video copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Brain Multiphysics, May 2021