Raymond V. Damadian, inventor of the Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanning machine, was born in New York in 1936. His research into sodium and potassium in living cells led him to his first experiments with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which caused him to first propose the MR body scanner in 1969.
Damadian invented an apparatus and method to use NMR safely and accurately to scan human body. Experimenting on rats, Damadian discovered dramatic differences in the quality and duration of NMR signals emitted by cancerous versus healthy tissues that confirmed his idea of the MR body scanner.
In 1977, Damadian’s team produced the first MRI scan of the human body; using a prototype device he called ‘Indomitable.’
The first MRI scan provided a clear image of the heart, lungs and chest wall with no side effects. Today, MRI scanners can instantly map and analyze any part of the human body in minute detail, allowing visual diagnosis of virtually any medical condition, from strained muscles to tumours. They can also provide the chemical composition of the tissue being scanned.
