Nuclear magnetic resonance: preclinical and clinical studies in tumor detection

Nuclear magnetic resonance has been applied extensively to biochemical problems over the las decade. In vitro NMR relaxation data has shown significant differences between normal and malignant tissue and in the case of breast tissue, between tumors and fibrocystic disease. In vivo, whole body NMR imaging has developed rapidly and has been used in detecting various tumors, particularly in the abdomen. To date, no harmful effects of NMR scanning have been found. NMR scanning is likely to become a major imaging technique with significant applications, particularly in the detection of malignancies.