A Machine Called Indomitable

Author: Sonny Kleinfeld

Who knew that the invention of the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Spectroscopy had all the trappings of an epic drama. This book chronicles the life and work of Dr. Raymond Damadian and his quest to build a machine that could detect a tumor in any part of the body with a simple scan. As the title indicates, the machine was called Indomitable and the book chronicles Damadian’s struggle convincing the establishment that NMR Spectroscopy is for real. 

Damadian’s vision was to build a machine that could do a full body scan and he was not willing to take any shortcuts. While he had figured out the basics of magnetic resonance, building a machine that could scan the entire human body was not straightforward. His first challenge was getting a magnet that was large enough to produce the required magnetic field. Since this really didn’t exist, Damadian and his colleagues Larry Minkoff and Michael Goldsmith set out to build one. They incorporated a company, FONAR in 1978 and built the first commercial whole body MRI scanner. 

Dr. Damadian’s nemesis  Dr. Lauterbur proved to be his alter-ego and  Lauterbauer was awarded the Nobel prize for his work on NMR, while Damadian was not mentioned at all. This further exacerbated the already strained relations between the two scientists. 

It is very inspiring to read about Dr. Damadian’s unflinching focus and purpose in building the Indomitable Machine. Most scientists and doctors at the time didn’t believe in the concept. Undeterred, Damadian pushed forward, somehow securing the funds needed to stay afloat and get the materials he needed to build a prototype. He stuck with his plan and had to surmount some rather huge obstacles to build a large magnet that a patient could be placed in. This is an inspiring read for anyone who is struggling to convince the establishment about their brilliant idea!