The technique could be a powerful diagnostic tool for identifying hidden brain conditions before they become life-threatening, noted a team of researchers led by graduate student Itamar Terem of Stanford University in the
Magnetic Resonance in Imaging paper. Terem's group includes colleagues from Mātai Medical Research Institute in Gisborne-Tairawhiti, New Zealand; the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ; and the University of Auckland.
"The new method magnifies microscopic rhythmic pulsations of the brain as the heart beats to allow the visualization of minute piston-like movements, that are less than the width of a human hair," Terem said in a statement released by the Stevens Institute. "The new 3D version provides a larger magnification factor, which gives us better visibility of brain motion, and better accuracy."