Magnetite used to monitor functioning of human lung

A new technique for monitoring lung contamination and function has been reported by David Cohen of the Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory (MIT). The diagnostic handle is magnetite dust, which normally occurs in such low levels in the lungs as to be measurable only in a magnetically shielded room with sophisticated apparatus. Higher amounts of magnetite dust in the lungs can be seen, though, even with a relatively simple and inexpensive flux‐gate magnetometer.