Light-Detecting Scanner , Could Lead to Medical , Breakthroughs.<br />A new scanner capable of detecting light deep inside <br />the brain could lead to new cancer treatments and <br />a screening method to detect Alzheimer's disease.<br />A new scanner capable of detecting light deep inside <br />the brain could lead to new cancer treatments and <br />a screening method to detect Alzheimer's disease.<br />'The Independent' reports that the device <br />uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to <br />capture dynamic changes in colors of tissue. .<br />The device could be used to map <br />neuron-stimulating fibers or monitor <br />light-based therapies for tumors.<br />We can image the distribution <br />of light in tissue. That’s important, Alan Jasanoff, senior author and professor at<br />Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <br />via 'The Independent'.<br />People who use light to stimulate or measure <br />tissue often don’t quite know where the light <br />is going, where they’re stimulating or where <br />the light is coming from. Our tool can <br />be used to address those unknowns, Alan Jasanoff, senior author and professor at<br />Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <br />via 'The Independent'.<br />Senior author Professor Alan Jasanoff of MIT <br />and his team of students designed a sensor <br />capable of transforming light into a magnetic signal.<br />Senior author Professor Alan Jasanoff of MIT <br />and his team of students designed a sensor <br />capable of transforming light into a magnetic signal.<br />We wanted to create a magnetic <br />sensor that responds to light locally, <br />and therefore is not subject to absorbance <br />or scattering. Then this light detector <br />can be imaged using MRI, Alan Jasanoff, senior author and professor at<br />Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <br />via 'The Independent'.<br />The team hopes that their work can be <br />used as the basis for MRI probes capable <br />of detecting stimuli other than light. .<br />The team is currently working on a similar probe designed <br />to detect light emitted by luciferases, glowing proteins that <br />could reveal whether particular genes are activated or not.<br />The team's device was described <br />in 'Nature Biomedical Engineering.'
