A number of new companies are commercializing real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Omneuron uses fMRI to treat chronic pain. The patient watches a computer-generated flame projected on the screen of virtual-reality goggles; the flame’s intensity reflects the neural activity of regions of the brain involved in the perception of pain. Using a variety of mental techniques — for instance, imagining that a painful area is being flooded with soothing chemicals — most people can, with a little concentration, make the flame wax or wane. As the flame wanes, the patient feels better.

In time, it is hoped, a patient could evoke the effect without the machine. It plans to similarly treat addiction, depression and other intractable neurological and psychological conditions.

Other brain-scanning ventures include Cephos, another lie-detection company, and Imagilys, which sells fMRI to surgeons who want to map the brains of patients before operations.