The development of magnetic imaging is very similar to the history of computer technology. In 1949, the magazine «Popular Mechanics», wrote: "In the futurecomputers will weigh no more than 1.5 tons." And in 1981, the same Bill Gatessaid: "The 640KB of RAM should be enough for each computer."


In the current understanding magnetic scanner - an expensive, bulky, heavy and very complicated machine, which controls only the "geniuses" and allow her to be his only major medical centers. It will be forever or something else? Or, as computers become MRI scanner smaller, lighter, more comfortable and will be available in every small hospital, it is now available to every computer housewife?


Who can determine the future of scanners? Physicists, mathematicians, engineers, computer programmers. And how?..

Modern magnetic imaging developed in many directions. But we are interested in one specific task - how to make affordable scanner. On the way to solve many scientific, technical and technological problems: the creation of cost-magnetic system, digital devices, recording and processing of the NMR signal, the development of new mathematical methods of imaging (MRI), to ensure reliable, uninterrupted operation of complex devices remotely. Is it possible to do it all in today's Russia?

First of all we have built a prototype Public MRI scanner - "Unitom" - not just anywhere but in Russia, and brought it to clinical practice, denying, therefore, the established delusion that Russian scientists are unable to bring their inventions to the final product.

In general, the times they seem to change for the better! .. For the first time the largest public officer, our president, visited the IT-company - "Kaspersky Lab" - and announced there are many interesting initiatives. First of all, were formulated by scientific areas that are in the area of ​​special attention to the president.

First task - "Energy efficiency and conservation, including issues of development of new fuels».

Power of the People's prototype imager is 500 watts. This is less than it consumes iron. For comparison, the most modern imported production scanner consumes almost two hundred times more.

Second - the "nuclear technologies».

Our response, of course, is nuclear, but to the reactors and accelerators, he has little to do.

Third - "Space technology, primarily related to telecommunications, including, of course, GLONASS, and program development of ground infrastructure».

Russian scale require the establishment of telemedicine and remote diagnosis based on space and telecommunications technologies. If we implemented the principles of remote control and monitoring to supplement space communications, the Public MRI scanner can be easily installed in any part of Russia.

Fourth - the "medical technology, especially diagnostic equipment and medicines".

Here one hundred percent hit. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - this is the most complex and perfect product of medical equipment. Maybe that's why this presidential thesis can be considered as direct instruction to develop the Public MRI scanner :).

And the fifth - a "strategic information technologies, including the creation of supercomputers and software development".

Again, hit "the jackpot"! In our MRI tscan actually works supercomputer, which is a real-time digitizing and processing 30 million data per second, and all software developed in Russia.

Four of the five main lines of the "technological breakthrough", listed the president, are directly related to the draft Public MRI scanner. There are only a desire for guidance. Previously, when preparing a summary report of the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee at the next party congress, for every line of these priorities was a specific number of funding in the budget and the failure of these problems cost ministers career.

And what will happen now: just a word or a draft of the Public MRI scanner can receive state financial support, and then physicists, engineers, mathematicians, computer programmers will not look to distant shores and get a great job in Russia?

Go to the "Public MRI scanner: Equipment and Methods"