3D MRI of solids

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of soft tissues, using the proton (1H) signal from liquid water, has emerged as one of the most important medical imaging modalities. However, MR imaging of solids, such as bone, has not achieved biomedical significance because the short spin-spin relaxation times of nuclei in solids results in broad line-widths and poor spatial resolution. The prospect of extending the reach of MR imaging to the study of solids could transform the role of MR measurement in biomedical research and could have broad application in industrial and clinical settings.