Human whole body line-scan imaging by NMR

Abstract

Historically, the first nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) pictures demonstrating live human anatomy were produced recently (Mansfield and Maudsley, 1976; 1977) using a line-scanning technique. The original specimens studied were limited in object size to cross-sectional views through fingers. A number of other approaches to imaging by NMR are also being developed and are compared, discussed and referred to elsewhere (Brunner and Ernst, 1978; Pykett and Mansfield, 1978). Recent development and expansion of our imaging apparatus has now allowed us to examine objects of the dimensions of the whole human body. In this paper we wish to report the first NMR line-scan medical image of a thin cross-sectional slice of a live human body.