Susan Bowyer, Senior Scientist of Neurology at Henry Ford Hospital, gave a lecture Tuesday on "neuroimaging techniques” as part of Eastern’s Summer Science Research Initiative.
Bowyer works with Magnetoencephalography (MEG). The machines are giant, magnetic medical scanners that work in tandem with MRI machines to noninvasively create an image of the brain. While a MRI will provide a snap shot, the MEG machines can provide background information to identify what happens in specific areas of the brain. It's the difference between a photo and a video.
“There are 148 censors about a quarter of an inch away from your scalp. [They’re] encased inside of a sensor and filled with liquid helium, which keep the sensor superconducting," Boyer said.
This device can be used for identifying any "brain dysfunction" says Bowyer. From schizophrenia to epilepsies to autism.
The biggest problem is it is not very widespread.
While MRI machines are often very common in hospitals, there are only about 20 MEG machines in the US, 20-30 in Europe, 20-30 in Japan and a handful in China. The machines cost over $2 million initially and are $100,000 to maintain, and there are not many people qualified to use them.
"People are just starting to turn their attention to other things. There's so few of us, so few labs in the US and there's so many brain disorders," Bowyer said. “There are not enough people."
Bowyer suggested one way to reduce costs would be finding a way to get superconducting down to a room temperature. The helium, which is what has to be used now, is 4 Kelvin. But Bowyer said, at best, she'd like to see this in 50 years.
If you are a pre-med, or nursing student and you are interested in looking into this specialty, you can email Dr. Bowyer at drsusan@umich.edu or the organizers of the Summer Science Research Initiative.
