As medicine advances with the use of strong magnets, physicians are now capable of performing more complex imaging procedures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner that has been augmented by enhanced magnetic fields has the power to improve the quality of brain scanning techniques. How magnetic fields are shaping medical history IEEE Spectrum reported that superconducting magnets are potent enough to lift battle tanks that weigh 60 metric tons. Although the imagery is intimidating, these forces are being carefully harnessed by medical equipment developers to capture high-quality scans of the human brain. When this innovation in imaging technologies replaces the old standards, which operate at 1.5 or 3 teslas (T), MRIs will begin functioning at 11.75 T. According to the source, the Large Hadron Collider, the apparatus responsible for the discovery of the Higgs boson particle in Switzerland, can produce a magnetic field of 8.4 T, which is significantly stronger than your average cube magnets or sphere magnets. The anticipated power of the new MRI equipment will outpace the strength of the equipment that allowed CERN to make one of the biggest discoveries in modern science. "We're pretty proud of having met all the requirements, plus given them a little extra," Hem Kanithi, vice president of business development at Luvata, the company that built the superconductor, told the news provider. The reason high-powered imagery equipment is crucial in medicine has to do with the treatment of illnesses that occur beneath the skin, in very small spaces. For example, the news provider noted that current brain scans can take a picture of one millimeter of tissue, or 10,000 neurons, per second. With the introduction of stronger magnetic fields, it will be possible to narrow the scope of the scans. This will enable physicians to see the cause of distress with much more precision. Preparing for the new technologies Minnesota Daily reported that until now, it was difficult to support magnetic imagery technologies because of a global helium shortage. This element is essential in the process because it provides a cooling agent to the machinery. With all the available required parts, the source noted that researchers can continue upgrading imaging quality in MRI equipment. The electronic fields that empower the above-mentioned technologies heat up quickly. For this reason, an adequate cooling agent was the first step toward completing the MRI project. Get The Latest Magnetic News With Apex We are constantly on the lookout for new magnet discoveries. To be in the know about magnets, magnetic breakthroughs, and industry news (as well as getting some really great discounts), subscribe to our newsletter, or check out our blog.