Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, helps doctors see inside the body. Some parts, like deep brain areas or the eye, are still hard to picture clearly.
A research team led by doctoral student Nandita Saha built a new MRI antenna using special engineered materials called metamaterials. The new design makes pictures sharper, works faster, and can be added to current MRI machines.
Scientists from the Max Delbrück Center and Rostock University Medical Center worked together on the project. They are now testing the antenna with real patients.
How Metamaterials HelpMRI scanners send radio waves into the body while a strong magnet is on. The body’s response is turned into an image. Stronger signals give clearer pictures.
Old MRI antennas sometimes miss signals from deep or tricky areas, which can blur images and lengthen scans.
By adding metamaterials to the antenna, the researchers made it capture more signal from the target tissue. In tests, the antenna improved detail, made images clearer, and reduced the time needed for scanning.
The antenna works with existing MRI machines, so hospitals don’t need to buy brand‑new equipment. The team tried it on volunteers using a 7‑tesla scanner to look at eyes and the surrounding orbit.
Beyond Eye Scans“We wanted to rethink MRI hardware using modern antenna physics,” says Saha. The technology could also protect implants by lowering unwanted heating during scans. It may help guide cancer treatments that use heat to destroy tumors.
Faster Scans, Better CareLong MRI exams can be uncomfortable. The new antenna can cut scan time while giving doctors clearer pictures, which helps them make better diagnoses.
Its small and light design can be shaped for different body parts, improving comfort for patients.
Future versions could work with MRI machines that are weaker or stronger than 7 T. They could also be used for other organs like the heart, kidneys, or even for imaging atoms other than hydrogen, such as sodium or fluorine.
Next StepsThe team plans bigger clinical trials in several hospitals and will adapt the antenna for more organs. Ongoing collaboration between the research groups will continue to refine the design.
This work was funded by the DFG as a joint effort between the Max Delbrück Center and the Medical University Rostock.