Medical Resonance Imaging

MRI
First medical images: X-rays
Discovered in 1895
Images of bones

What part of the body is

this?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI)
See soft tissues such as
muscles, blood vessels,
ligaments and internal
organs.

Images show the brain and

other structures inside a
human head.
 How Strong is the Magnet?
3 Tesla does not sound much
but its very strong.
Ref: www.simplyphysics.com
 The energy difference between
the two alignment states depends on
the nucleus
Which tells us the sample
composition
 MRI uses a combination of
Magnetic and Electromagnetic
Fields
NMR measures the net magnetization of atomic nuclei in
the presence of magnetic fields
Magnetization can be manipulated by changing the
magnetic field environment (static, gradient, and RF fields)
Static magnetic fields dont change (< 0.1 ppm / hr):
The main field is static and (nearly) homogeneous
RF (radio frequency) fields are electromagnetic fields that
oscillate at radio frequencies (tens of millions of times per
second)
Gradient magnetic fields change gradually over space and
can change quickly over time (thousands of times per
second)
 MRI
What do the letters stand for?
M.. Magnetic
R Resonance
I. Imaging
MRI scanners do not use X rays.
MRI Explained...
electron

Your science studies

have shown you that neutron

your body is made up

of living cells proton

Which are made up of

molecules
Which are made up of
atoms
 The simplest atom is
1
Hydrogen electron

1
proton

Its nucleus contains just one proton

 In the 1940s physicists
discovered that the nuclei of
some atoms have a property
called
.Like a wobbling SPIN
spinning top.

This causes the

N nucleus act like a
tiny magnet.

S
 After many years of investigation
Bring in thefound
physicists magnets.
they could affect the tiny
This high energy situation cannot be sustained
nuclear
for long. Manymagnets of hydrogen atoms
will flip back.
When using
.watch very
how strong
the magnetic magnets and
field affects the radio
tiny nuclear
this happens energy is released as a tiny pulse of
magnets
waves
radio waves !!!

S N
ANote:
pulse The
of radio
nuclear
waves
magnets
can cause
can line
someupof
in the
twonuclear
possible magnets
directionsabsorb energy and flip
 This tiny pulse of radio waves
that can be detected and
analysed.
The timing, and the energy of these
signals, reveals information about
the Hydrogen atoms and what
types of molecules they are
attached to.
 So what has all this got to do with
looking inside your body?
What is your body mostly made of?

What is the chemical name of water?

H 2O
Hydrogen in the most abundant element in your
body (approx 63% of all the atoms are H)
 Organic molecules
that make up tissues like

FAT
MUSCLE
TENDONS etc.

contain a large number of Hydrogen atoms

 It took physicists over 40 years to turn their
discovery of nuclear magnets into images of the
human body.
But the results are amazing

All this from manipulating the magnetic properties of hydrogen

nuclei !
The patient is placed on a bed and then moved into
a large hollow tube.
Using an MRI
Scanner

The tube contains a very powerful magnet.

Most MRI scanners use

magnets
An electric current
passes through a
massive coil made of
a special
This creates a very
superconducting
strong
materialmagnet (x
20000 times stronger
than earths magnetic
field)
This may seem like a really easy way to create a strong
magnet
 Superconducting materials only
work correctly when they are
really cold..
But not just cold
like freezer
temperatures.
Can you guess how cold?

Thats colder than on the surface degrees Celsius

of Pluto!
 To achieve these temperatures
the superconducting coils need to
sit in a container filled with

Thankfully the patient is insulated from this extremely low

temperature whilst inside the magnet.
The magnet used is incredibly
strong!
Stand 1m away with a large spanner in
your hand. you would not be able to
hold on to it.
Patients have to remove all metallic
objects and credit cards
Patients may have metal objects inside
their bodies
 Patients may be asked the
following questions:
Have you ever worked in the army or metal
working industry?
Metal fragments (especially in the eye) could become dislodged
Do you have a pacemaker?
If yes you cannot have an MRI scan
Do you have any dental implants
Some could become magnetised
Do you have any metal pins or staples in your
body?
Some could become magnetised and need to be checked that they will
hold in place during the scan
With the patient safety check
complete the scan can
begin
The part of the body to
be scanned is placed
in the centre of the
primary magnet

X
The magnet field
produced has to be
very steady and
strong
This field causes the Hydrogen nuclei in the patients body
to line up with the field
Three further coils are embedded into the
tube.GRADIENT MAGNETS these are
used to fine tune the magnetic field so
particular body parts and tissue types can be
focused on.
The patient will know when
these magnets are switched
onthey can make a loud
banging noise.

More coils provide a X

pulse of radio waves that
cause some of the nuclear
magnets to flip.

The machine waits and records any radio signals that

are then emitted by the patients body..
 This information is sent to a
computer which uses it to build
up an image .
 CT compared to MRI
CT scanners scan a patient in slices but
the angle of the slice depends on how the
patient is positioned in the machine.
MRI scanners scan a whole section of the
body then the doctor can request to view a
slice of the patient at any angle
MRI scans can reveal a lot more detail.
View an MRI scan from any
angle..
 Are MRI Scans Safe?
Research has failed to show up any risk to health
Patients do not feel a thing.not even a tingle!
Scans typically take 30 mins+
Staying still and putting up with clanging noises are
the only discomforts a patient has to suffer!

a further group of people may find it

impossible to have an MRI scan.!
What is the name of the condition
that causes a fear of

Claustrophobia
Many claustrophobics cannot have
MRI scans
 True or False Challenge?
7. It is dangerous for a patient to stay in
an MRI scanner for too long
8. Superconducting magnets are cheap to
make and use.
9. Claustrophobics are not allowed to
have CT scans
 Seeing with magnetism
hydrogen atom
electron
water molecule
proton

An MRI scanner uses magnetism to see the

position of hydrogen atoms in water molecules
inside the body.
This allows it to build up an image of the internal
structures.
 T1-WEIGHTED IMAGE
In the figure below, patient on the left is a normal control vs.
patient on the right who has MS. The patient with MS has
significant loss of myelin due to autoimmune destruction.
 T2-WEIGHTED IMAGE
In the figure below, one can see the bright CSF signal as well as
a cyst in the arachnoid space.
T2-weighted images are generally a good starting place when
searching for pathology since it has some component of
edema.
 Knee

Coronal Sagittal
Return
Spine in Sagittal Plane

Return
Brain MRI

Return
 MRI images

Human head.

High resolution, with

a 3 tesla magnetic
field.
MRI images
blood vessels

Blood vessels in the brain

Science or art?

MRI showing nerve connections inside the brain.

 MRI
Advantages Disadvantages
No overlapping artifact Very expensive
Excellent resolution Patients cannot have
Very good at detecting a pacemaker or
fluid
ferromagnetic
Excellent for imaging material
the brain, spine and
joints Slower to acquire
No radiation images
Multiple imaging tests (approximately 45
within the same study minutes)
(T1, T2, IR, GE)
 Ultrasound
Advantages Disadvantages
No radiation Does not work well in
Portable large or obese patients
Instantaneous (real time) Resolution less than CT
Excellent for cysts and fluid and MRI
Doppler ultrasound is Air or bowel gas prevents
excellent to assess blood visualization of structures
flow
Excellent for newborn
brain, thyroid, gall bladder,
female pelvis, scrotum,
pregnancy
Ultrasound of the
gall bladder showing
a gall stone