This non-invasive and life-saving technology is called magnetic resonance imaging. Its working principle is to arrange hydrogen atoms in a strong magnetic field and convert the response of these atoms into images through pulsed RF waves.

It can be said that the origin of nuclear magnetic resonance is chemistry - the working principle of nuclear magnetic resonance is to use the inherent magnetism of a single atom. What if the MRI can not only generate images, but also extract detailed human chemistry information, such as the pH value near the tumor, or the abnormal temperature around the injury? What if the physical principles of magnetic imaging can be applied to all kinds of chemical changes, even at the atomic and molecular levels, and can bring us unparalleled new insights into human health and disease?

These "if" questions have promoted the work of Joseph zadrozny, an assistant professor in the Department of chemistry, and his team of students and researchers. As an inorganic chemist wandering between chemistry and quantum physics, zadrozny established a laboratory at Colorado State University, whose main goal is to design molecules so that magnetic resonance imaging can do things that cannot be done at present. By doing so, researchers have found the basic understanding of how the magnetism of metal ion molecules reacts to their environment, and whether this means small changes in temperature, pH value or other indicators.

Zadrozni said, "we are living, breathing and talking chemical reactors." if you can imagine that chemical reaction, it will be very powerful. "

A nucleus that works like an electron

Zadrozny's team published a paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, describing their design of a cobalt based molecule, which is a non-invasive chemical thermometer, which is a breakthrough in their manufacture of a new magnetic imaging probe with extreme temperature sensitivity. Using their expertise in molecular design, they made the nuclear spin of cobalt complexes, an important basic magnetic property, imitate the sensitive but unstable sensitivity of electron spin. "Spin" gives subatomic particles magnetism.

By making cobalt nuclei work essentially like electrons, they have shown that this special cobalt complex can one day become the basis for powerful molecular imaging probes that can read extremely subtle temperature changes inside the human body. How to use this phenomenon, people can imagine earth shaking: doctors can detect the slightest temperature change around a still invisible tumor. Thermal ablation procedures in the office can achieve molecular level accuracy, kill diseased tissues and avoid healthy tissues.

In the doctor's office, cobalt material may one day be injected or ingested to transmit temperature signals from the body. Making a temperature sensing probe with cobalt material will utilize the controllable magnetism of the atomic nucleus. It also has the ideal characteristics of reading information through RF waves, which is safe for human or animal bodies. Researchers assume that this magnetic detector can also work at room temperature.

Using the magnetism of spin electrons, a hot research field in which physicists try to build quantum computers, is not ideal for biomedical imaging. One reason is that using the magnetism of electrons requires microwaves, which is dangerous for humans (imagine the need for microwaves to get NMR imaging). Such electron based detectors also cannot work at room temperature - they need lower temperatures.

NMR experiment

In order to carry out their experiment, zadrozny team led by postdoctoral researcher Ö kten Ü ng ö r designed cobalt molecule and tested its temperature sensitivity using a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer located at the core of CSU analysis resources. Arc is the vice president of the research management sharing facility located in the chemical building, which allows researchers on campus to conduct research through cutting-edge analytical instruments.

Üngör said, "our NMR experiments show that its sensitivity is several orders of magnitude higher than that of comparable molecules."

Researchers' cobalt molecules may have a wide range of applications. Üngör said, "the chemical composition around the cobalt atom is highly adjustable, and we can highly control it." "This work not only shows prospects in the medical field, but its basic steps and theory may lead to progress in the field of quantum computing. As the research continues, we may find more applications."

In the next step, the team may explore the enhanced design of cobalt based imaging probe to make it more stable in aqueous solution. At present, the temperature sensitivity of this material is shocking, but this molecule is not enough to survive in the body for a long time, which is necessary in medical applications.