Audio tour Brilliant inventions from the past

MRI

Fast electric cars have put the name Tesla on the map. Tesla was a brilliant scientist who pioneered with rotating magnetic waves. His work formed the bases of current MRI machines. MRI makes use of magnetic waves and enables us to look inside of the human body without physical contact. In 1977 Dr. Raymond Damadian made the first ever MRI scan. Only one year later the first cancer patient was diagnosed with the images coming from the MRI scanner. Since that first scan the technology has evolved tremendously.  Surgery has become more efficient and many lives were saved by this invention. In the future the MRI will no longer be exclusive for hospitals only. The technology has become cheaper, smaller and easier to use, opening a future where the MRI will be introduced into the primary healthcare sector. Preventative scanning will emerge, but like in the early days of MRI, a lot of work has to be done before it will reach this phase.

PIONEERING WITH THE MRI
In 1977 dr. Damadian wasn’t successful immediately. One of the problems that needed to be overcome was getting the research funded and more practically, making sure abdominal fat wouldn’t hinder the scan results. As you can see on the picture, Dr. Damadian was the first guinea pig and knew by experience this problem needed to be overcome as well.