The ability to capture images of an object through more than one imaging modality simultaneously, known as multimodal imaging, offers great promise in the field of medical imaging. Multimodal imaging offers complementary advantages of resolution and speed. According to a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers from the University of California have developed a novel technique that utilizes microscopic diamond particles to capture information from MRI and optical fluorescence imaging simultaneously.
This technique enabled the researchers to obtain high-resolution images up to a centimeter beneath the surface of a tissue, which is ten times deeper than the existing imaging modalities using just a light source. This novel technique utilizes diamond microparticles with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect centers (≳1 ppm). The NV centers fluoresce brightly upon optical excitation and…
