Tiny valves herald the next generation of labs on chips.
A miniature chemistry set the size of a penny looks set to deliver faster, cheaper imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which are used to see inside patients' bodies.
A miniature chemistry set the size of a penny looks set to deliver faster, cheaper imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which are used to see inside patients' bodies.
The microfluidic chip uses a tiny network of channels to shuttle chemicals around, and has valves and purification filters to perform a sequence of chemical steps. The result can produce a chemical that is crucial for PET scans much more quickly and with fewer reagents than a standard lab. This should make scans simpler and cheaper for hospitals.