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Glowing Health
30 August 2014

Glowing Health

Changes to blood circulation in the brain can be a symptom of migraine, a stroke or even Alzheimer’s but can’t easily be seen with X-rays or magnetic resonance scanning. Sharper and more detailed 3D images – and even video sequences – can be obtained by scanning with near infrared light, although a major drawback is that only a few millimetres of surface tissue can be penetrated. To get around this problem, scientists injected a mouse with carbon nanotubes, which fluoresce strongly in near infrared light, before scanning its brain. This experiment produced high quality images of blood vessels near the surface of the brain, like the one shown here, without the need to remove part of the animal’s skull. The technique will aid research on animals into brain diseases and could in theory be used for diagnosis in humans, although proof would be required that the procedure is safe.

Written by Mick Warwicker

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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