U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Physical Measurement Laboratory /Applied Physics Division

Magnetic Imaging Group

We develop calibration methods, standards, and contrast agents for magnetic imaging technologies as needed by the U.S. healthcare industry and the U.S. government to advance and validate quantitative biomagnetic imaging methods.

MRI phantom
Quantitative MRI
Nature cover
SMART Contrast Agents
Ultra Low Field MRI
Advanced Magnetic Imaging

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

MRI standards

Quantitative MRI

Ongoing
Future directions may focus on multimodal imaging, techniques that use MRI as either a base or as a complimentary technique. Multimodal imaging combines information from two or more imaging modalities such as MRI, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound (US)
MRI biomarker measurement service

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Biomarker Measurement Service

Ongoing
Biomarkers are parameters that can be quantitatively measured in-vivo and provide information on tissue health/ pathology. Phantoms are medical imaging calibration structures designed to test scanner performance, image quality, and image-based measurements.
Medical Imaging Phantom

NIST/NIBIB Medical Imaging Phantom Lending Library

Ongoing
Phantoms are calibration objects that can be used to assess the accuracy, stability, and comparability of medical imaging systems. The NIST/ISMRM MRI system phantom can be used to assess scanner geometric distortion, image uniformity, signal to noise ratio (SNR), resolution, slice profile and
SMART contrast agents

SMART Contrast Agents

Ongoing
Work on smart agents is focused on developing new micro- and nanoparticle- based contrast agents for MRI and new MR imaging and sensing schemes. These include synthetic antiferromagnet nanoparticles as potential new contrast agents, high-moment iron microparticles for enhanced T2* contrast for in
Advanced Magnetic Imaging staff

Advanced Magnetic Imaging

Ongoing
Ultra-low field (ULF) MRI MRI systems are widely used for clinical diagnostics where imaging is typically done in high-field magnets ranging from 1.5 T to 7 T to achieve a manageable signal-to-noise ratio needed for short imaging times (few minutes) and high resolution (1 mm or less). Ultra-low
View All Projects/Programs

Publications

METROLOGY FOR MRI: THE FIELD YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF

Author(s)
Kathryn Keenan, Stephen Russek, Matt Hall
Quantitative MRI has been an active area of research for decades and has produced a huge range of approaches with enormous potential for patient benefit. In

Awards

Headshot of Kathryn Keenan

2019 PECASE - Kathryn Keenan

For transforming magnetic resonance imaging into a quantitative tool to diagnose and treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases through the

Press Coverage

Diagram shows a cellphone with a small plastic device attached that holds a strip of hydrogel close to the magnetometer inside the phone.

Smartphone compass used to measure glucose

Lab+Life Scientist
Researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have used an ordinary smartphone’s built-in magnetometer, or compass, to measure

TAKING MEASURE BLOG

Research Opportunities / Staff Directory

Links of Interest

Contacts

Group Leader