Dennis Klomp

A flashlight spreads light in a broad beam, while a laser cuts a narrow path and picks out the finest details. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the gradient, a rapid change in the magnetic field along the body, plays the role of that laser.

Prostate MRI scans often look like photos taken through a dirty window: noise, blurred edges, curvature from field imperfections. Scientists checked what happens if you 'wash' that window: remove the excess, correct the distortions, and accurately align different types of scans.