In the past, to get the kinds of brain images that this new technology can scientists would need to cut a hole in a person's skull.

In particular, they can't see certain very fine details.

These include radiation exposure, high costs, and an inability to see certain things. But amazing as they are, these scans have limits and risks. One of the keys to modern medicine has been ability to use scans like X-rays to 'see' inside our bodies to discover problems within. But when it comes to the seeing an organ like the brain-which is encased within layers of skin, flesh, and thick bone-things have always been more difficult.ĬT scans (which use X-rays) and MRIs (which use magnetic fields) are able to scan our brain and skull to see what is going on. But couldn't we already do this with X-rays? How this is different?Ībove are two existing images of a mouse's brain neuron, which were then corrected by the LS-RMM technology into the very clear images below. This will greatly aid us in early disease diagnosis and expedite neuroscience research.' (Neurons are essentially the wires within the computer of our mind.) And it is able to do this without harming the patient at all.Īccording to a statement from Korea University research professor Yoon Seokchan and graduate student Lee Hojun, “our microscope allows us to investigate fine internal structures deep within living tissues that cannot be resolved by any other means. A brand new laser microscope from scientists in Korea can actually see inside your skull and map your brain.Ĭalled laser-scanning reflection-matrix microscopy (LS-RMM), the invention is able to get high-resolution (extremely detailed) images of the neurons that criss-cross through our brain.

Lookthrough microscope