New York:An Indian American professor's project on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)could revolutionise healthcare by providing a more accurate tool for diagnosingcancer and other illnesses.

Naresh Dalal, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at theFlorida State University (FSU) and a graduate of PanjabUniversity, conducted experiments withother researchers from the University of Colorado and theNational Institute of Standards and Technology that uncovered unique propertiesin a molecular magnet - properties that could significantly increase theresolution of MRIs, according to the FSU website.

Their paper on the "Efficacy of the single-moleculemagnet Fe8 for magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent over a broad range ofconcentration" was published in the current issue of Polyhedron, aprestigious science journal.

"There are continual efforts to enhance the level ofimage clarity found in today's MRI devices," Dalal said. "MRIsutilise injectable dyes, but those in current use, while easy to manufacture,offer a relatively low contrast. Our experiments show that a class of materialsknown as single-molecule magnets might produce greater contrast in medical imaging,meaning MRIs would be much more accurate."

Working at the FSU and the National High Magnetic FieldLaboratory, Dalal and another FSU researcher, chemistry graduate teachingassistant Vasanth Ramachandran, were able to synthesise a substance known asFe8 that is one of the strongest magnets known.

"Fe8 is a molecule made up of eight iron ions that forma tight molecular bond," Dalal said.

"It has a powerful magneticfield, which is obviously important in generating a very clear image with anMRI device. What's more, Fe8 is non-toxic and water-soluble, making it safe forinjection into the body," he said.

"Molecular magnets such as Fe8 hold great potential for otherapplications as well," he said.

Dalal graduated from PanjabUniversity in 1962 and later, in 1971,did his doctorate in physical chemistry from the Universityof British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.