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Next-Generation MRIs
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines help doctors diagnose a range of diseases, from brain tumors to bone deficiencies, but in common use, they only provide qualitative information. In other words, they merely display differences between adjacent areas.
More valuable information is available if we collect and analyze those images quantitatively — providing measurements of those differences. To support these quantitative analyses, NIST has developed measurement “phantoms” — objects with carefully measured properties that mimic human tissue and can be used to calibrate MRI systems or support research.
NIST maintains a lending library that enables quantitative MRI research for improving health outcomes. Recent studies show that with quantitative MRI, glioblastoma patients could learn if a particular treatment works for them within days, allowing for rapid adjustment of a treatment regimen. While research continues, doctors believe that quantitative MRI could improve the diagnosis of other diseases, such as stroke, dystrophy and a range of cancers.
Learn more about imaging phantoms