Synthetic-aperture magnetometry

Synthetic-aperture magnetometry (syn-thet-ic a-per-ture mag-ne-tom-e-try) is a medical imaging technique used in the field of neuroscience to measure magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain. This technique is a type of magnetoencephalography (MEG), which is a non-invasive method used to measure the magnetic fields generated by neuronal activity in the brain.

Etymology

The term "synthetic-aperture magnetometry" is derived from the words "synthetic", "aperture", and "magnetometry". "Synthetic" comes from the Greek word "synthetos", meaning "put together", "aperture" is derived from the Latin word "apertura", meaning "an opening", and "magnetometry" is a combination of the Greek words "magnētis lithos", meaning "magnet stone", and "metron", meaning "measure".

Procedure

The procedure of synthetic-aperture magnetometry involves the use of a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to measure the magnetic fields produced by the brain's electrical activity. The data collected is then processed using a mathematical algorithm to create a detailed image of the brain's activity.

Applications

Synthetic-aperture magnetometry is primarily used in the field of neuroscience for the study of various neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. It is also used in research to understand the functioning of the brain and the effects of various treatments on brain activity.