Detecting the Origins of Brain Signals with Extreme Accuracy

Finnish scientists at the Aalto University announce the development of a method for scanning and mapping the human brain that produces the most accurate details to date.

Their approach is to combine two already-established techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG), in order to produce a comprehensive, non-invasive view of the brain, Science Blog reports.

Combining the two methods has been attempted before, but insufficient technical development has made successful integration impossible. The new achievement was made possible by the development of extremely sensitive magnetic field sensors.

These prevent the magnetic fields from the MED and MRI machines from interfering with each other, and reducing their respective efficiency. Perhaps the most impressive accomplishment in the new effort is that patients with metal implants in their heads will now be able to have their brains scanned.