Transforming medical diagnosis with new scanning technology
Posted on 26 March 2009
Ultimately, the technique, based on manipulating parahydrogen, the fuel of the space shuttle, is expected to allow doctors to learn far more about a patient’s condition from an MRI scan at lower cost while increasing the range of medical conditions that can be examined.
The research is published today in the latest edition of the journal Science.
Our method has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wide range of medical conditions
Professor Gary Green
Researchers have taken parahydrogen and, through a reversible interaction with a specially designed molecular scaffold, transferred its magnetism to a range of molecules. The resulting molecules are much more easily detected than was previously possible. No-one has been able to use parahydrogen in this way before.
Professor Gary Green, from the Department of Psychology and Director of the York Neuroimaging Centre, said: "Our method has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wide range of medical conditions.
"The technique could ultimately replace current clinical imaging technologies that depend on the use of radioactive substances or heavy metals, which themselves create health concerns."
The new method will also have major implications for scientific research because it radically reduces the time taken to obtain results using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technology, the most popular method for obtaining analytical and structural information in chemistry.
Professor Simon Duckett, from the University’s Department of Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Magnetic Resonance, said: "We have been able to increase sensitivity in NMR by over 1000 times so data that once took 90 days to record can now be obtained in just five seconds. Similarly, an MRI image can now be collected in a fraction of a second rather than over 100 hours.
"This development opens up the possibility of using NMR techniques to better understand the fundamental functions of biological systems."
Professor Ian Greer, Dean of the Hull York Medical School, said: "This technological advance has the potential to revolutionise the accessibility and application of high quality medical imaging to patients. It will bring significant benefits to diagnosis and treatment in virtually all areas of medicine and surgery, ranging from cancer diagnosis to orthopaedics and trauma. It illustrates the enormous success of combining high quality basic science with clinical application."
Bruker BioSpin has been one of the first collaborators in developing this technology for commercial use. Dr Tonio Gianotti, Director and International NMR Research and Development Co-ordinator for Bruker BioSpin, said: "This technology has the potential to revolutionise both NMR and MRI methods in a short space of time."
Dr Mark Mortimer, Director of the University’s Research and Enterprise Office, said: "The rapid development of this research from the chemistry bench through to measurement opens up many exciting possibilities to extend this work. The York research team are now seeking partners to help turn this groundbreaking research into commercial and medical applications."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Details of parahydrogen based hyperpolarisation methods and a video explaining the technique will be available once the embargo has been lifted at www.york.ac.uk/res/sbd/parahydrogen/sabre.html.
- This research has been developed over a number of years with support from the University of York, the White-Rose Health Innovation Partnership, the EPSRC, the MRC, the BBSRC the Spanish MEC (Project Consolider ORFEO (CSD 2007-00006)) and Bruker BioSpin. A non-exclusive licensing agreement with Bruker BioSpin was signed in November 2008 to develop this technology. For more information see Faster diagnoses thanks to new scanning technology.
- The Research and Enterprise Office at the University of York works closely with companies and the public sector. It creates new opportunities for research partnerships, spinning out new companies from University research, licensing intellectual property and building a growing enterprise culture with students. More information is available at www.york.ac.uk/np/research/index.htm.
- Further details about the York Neuroimaging Centre, which is part of the Department of Psychology, are available at www.ynic.york.ac.uk.
- Further details about the York Centre for Magnetic Resonance are available at www.york.ac.uk/depts/chem/research/centrenmr.html
- The Departments of Chemistry and Psychology were both ranked in the top ten in the country in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
- The Hull York Medical School was established as a joint venture between the Universities of Hull and York, in partnership with the National Health Service. It capitalises on Hull’s considerable strengths in clinical medicine and York’s internationally recognised work in bioscience and health-related research.
- Bruker BioSpin is a division of Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR). For more information, please visit: www.bruker.com
Contact details
Interview
Listen to Professor Duckett and Professor Green discussing the new technique