By placing a layer of metamaterials under a patient in an MRI scanner, researchers from Russia, Australia, and the Netherlands report they can reduce imaging time by more than 50%.
Metamaterials are artificial periodic structures that interact with electromagnetic radiation. The key to the patent-pending technology, currently being developed by MediWise, is that they enhance signal-to-noise ratio. The result is either a higher resolution image obtained over the same amount of time, or a shorter exam with the same resolution as a conventional MRI scan.
An added benefit, according to the study published online on 11 January in Advanced Materials, is that metamaterials suppress the electric field, which is responsible for tissue heating and may compromise the safety of the patient.
