https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/press-centre/press-release/2016/451564

Medical diagnostics with magnetic particle imaging: Bernhard Gleich and Jürgen Weizenecker named European Inventor Award 2016 finalists

26.04.2016

in Press release

German physicist duo working on a new generation of medical imaging technologies
Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) uses magnetic field to diagnose soft tissue
MPI might enable detection of arterial and cardiovascular disease in real time
Harmless iron oxide particles administered to patients, rendered into detailed 3D images
EPO President Battistelli: "The invention of Gleich and Weizenecker is a milestone achievement, which offers new insights to doctors and researchers."

Munich, 26 April 2016 - Despite advances in imaging technology, precise diagnosis of medical conditions of arterial pathways and the human heartcontinues to pose a challenge. An entirely new approach to medical imaging technology pioneered by German physicists Bernhard Gleich (46) and Jürgen Weizenecker (48) offers stunning new insights. Known as magnetic particle imaging (MPI), the method obtains three-dimensional images in real time with unique features via a controlled magnetic field. In addition to diagnosis, MPI could aid in complex surgical procedures and help monitor the effectiveness of operations during recovery. It also holds promise for applications outside the operating theatre, for example in finding surface defects in the aerospace industry.

For this achievement, the European Patent Office (EPO) has named Bernhard Gleich and Jürgen Weizenecker one of three finalist teams for the European Inventor Award 2016 in the category "Industry". The winners of the 11^th edition of the EPO's annual innovation prize will be announced at a ceremony in Lisbon on 9 June.

"This is a truly novel approach to medical imaging and a milestone achievement, offering new insights to doctors and researchers," said EPO President Benoît Battistelli, announcing the European Inventor Award 2016 finalists. "The innovation of Bernhard Gleich and Jürgen Weizenecker has advanced the field of medical diagnostics for the benefit of patients."

Diagnosis and more

Gleich and Weizenecker's invention is a promising new method to diagnose a number of medical conditions. Thanks to MPI, images of potentially life-threatening complications, such as arterial blockages or myocardial ischemia, may be obtained instantly, and with high precision - significantly improving treatment outcomes in situations where every second counts. In addition to diagnostics, the invention could allow for the targeted manipulation of body tissues and objects inserted into the bloodstream such as radioactive seeds and drug-carrying capsules, and it may also help doctors move and manipulate orthopaedic implants without exposing patients to damaging chemicals or radiation.

A new chapter in medical imaging technology

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) introduces a new approach for medical imaging with key advantages over established technologies. MPI does not expose patients to ionising radiation, like X-rays and CT scans. MPI is also faster than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), invented by Paul C. Lauterbur in 1971.

"MRI is a magnetic resonance imaging method, which uses the weak magnetism of water," explains Gleich. "The question was: Could we use the magnetism of anything with a stronger magnetic force? For example, magnetic nanoparticles. And MPI is an answer to how imaging can be done with these nanoparticles."

While MRI relies on the detection of water already present in the human body, the MPI technique is based on the detection of magnetic particles that are introduced into the human body. To achieve this, MPI relies on a two-step principle. Before examination, patients ingest a liquid containing miniscule iron oxide particles with magnetic properties. These superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are roughly 20 to 40 nanometres in size - smaller than the cell walls of many bacteria. In the second step, these magnetic particles are then rendered detectable by applying an oscillating magnetic field - known as a drive field. The term "superparamagnetic" indicates that particles store no remnant magnetisation once the magnetic field is deactivated, allowing for controlled mapping of 3D spaces. And once the examination is complete, the magnetic particles are safely processed by the body's iron metabolism.

Leveraging the natural power of magnets

Drawing on the interaction between iron particles on a nanoscale and a controlled magnetic field, the technology employs the natural power of magnets to produce impressive results. MPI unlocks a new level of mapping coronary pathways and detecting arterial blockages, with faster image rates. With high-definition images at a spatial resolution up to 0.5 millimetres, MPI has potential uses beyond the medical sector. In addition to delivering live images during complicated surgeries, MPI also offers prospects for imaging applications in materials science and fluid dynamics; it may also be employed for quality control and safety in fields such as aerospace, where it can detect surface cracks and fractures.

Physics as the key to life

Before their research careers crossed paths, both physicists worked independently on unlocking the fundamental principles of magnets and paramagnets: Gleich at the University of Ulm and Weizenecker at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. After the two joined Philips Research Hamburg in 2000, their collaborative work focused on magnetic particle imaging - using a combination of magnetic particles and an oscillating magnetic field - as a new method for detecting vascular diseases and cancers. In 2005, the two German physicists published the method behind MPI in Nature magazine to critical acclaim in the scientific community.

Over the years, the two inventors have been granted over 30 patents from the European Patent Office for developing and improving MPI, which remains the main research interest for Gleich at the University of Lübeck and Weizenecker at the University of Applied Sciences in Karlsruhe. The first pre-clinical MPI scanner was installed at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Germany in 2014. Independent analysts expect the market for pre-clinical imaging, where MPI is regarded as a potentially disruptive technology, to reach EUR 731 million globally by 2019.

Additional resources

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Read more about the inventor

View the patents: EP1830702, EP1615544, EP1304542, EP1816958

Nanotechnology: Miniscule inventions with gigantic impact

Magnetic particle imaging relies on miniscule iron oxide nanoparticles to unlock a previously unthinkable level of detail in imaging the human body. The invention joins a new wave of nanotechnology inventions that are ushering in landmark changes in fields such as medicine, material sciences, microelectronics, and organic chemistry. Read more about the future of nanotechnology in the spotlight.

About the European Inventor Award

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