The Components The Technology Physics Behind MR Conclusion: Presented by Ahammad Shanil Seven Hills Hospital

Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI)
◼ Introduction
◼ The Components
◼ The Technology
◼ Physics behind
MR
◼ Conclusion
Presented by
Ahammad Shanil
Seven hills hospital
Introduction
◼ What is MRI?
◼ Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a spectroscopic
imaging technique used in medical settings to
produce images of the inside of the human body.
◼ MRI is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic

resonance (NMR), which is a spectroscopic technique
used to obtain microscopic chemical and physical data
about molecules
◼ In 1977 the first MRI exam was performed on a

human being. It took 5 hours to produce one image.
Introduction
◼ How Does it Work?
◼ The magnetic resonance imaging is accomplished
through the absorption and emission of energy of the
radio frequency (RF) range of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
The Components:
◼ A magnet which produces a very powerful uniform

magnetic field.
◼ Gradient Magnets which are much lower in strength.
◼ Equipment to transmit radio frequency (RF).
◼ A very powerful computer system, which translates the

signals transmitted by the coils.
The Magnet
◼ The most important component of the MRI

scanner is the magnet:
◼ The magnets currently used in scanners today are in
the .5-tesla to 2.0-tesla range (5,000 to 20,000-
gauss).
Higher values are used for research.
◼ Earth magnetic field: 0.5-gauss

The Magnet (cont.)
◼ There are three types of magnets used in MRI
systems:
◼ Resistive magnets
◼ Permanent magnets
◼ Super conducting magnets (the most commonly

used type in MRI scanners).
◼ In addition to the main magnet, the MRI machine

also contains three gradient magnets. These magnets
have a much lower magnetic field and are used to
create a variable field.
The Technology
◼ How Does It All Work?
◼ Spin:
◼ The atoms that compose the human body have a
property known as spin (a fundamental property
of all atoms in nature like mass or charge).
◼ Spin can be thought of as a small magnetic field

and can be given a + or – sign and a
mathematical value of multiples of ½.
◼ Components of an atom such as protons,

electrons and neutrons all have spin.
The Technology (cont.)
◼ Spin (cont.):
◼ Protons and neutron
spins are known as
nuclear spins.
◼ An unpaired component
has a spin of ½ and two
particles with opposite
spins cancel one
another.
◼ In NMR it is the
unpaired nuclear spins
that produce a signal in
a magnetic field.
◼ Human body is mainly composed of
fat and water, which makes the
human body composed of about 63%
hydrogen.
◼ Why Are Protons Important to MRI?

◼ positively charged
◼ spin about a central axis
◼ a moving (spinning) charge creates a

magnetic field.
◼ the straight arrow (vector) indicates the
direction of the magnetic field.
◼ When placed in a large magnetic
field, hydrogen atoms have a strong
tendency to align in the direction of
the magnetic filed
◼ Inside the bore of the scanner, the
magnetic field runs down the center
of the tube in which the patient is
placed, so the hydrogen protons
will line up in either the direction of
the feet or the head.
◼ The majority will cancel each other,
but the net number of protons is
sufficient to produce an image.
◼ Energy Absorption:
◼ The MRI machine applies radio
frequency (RF) pulse that is specific
to hydrogen.
◼ The RF pulses are applied through a

coil that is specific to the part of the
body being scanned.
The Technology (Cont.)
Resonance (cont.)
The gradient magnets are rapidly turned on and off
which alters the main magnetic field.
◼ The pulse directed to a specific area of the body

causes the protons to absorb energy and spin in
different direction, which is known as resonance
Frequency (Hz) of energy absorption depends on strength of

external magnetic field.
Larmor Equation
 =  2
0 0
For hydrogen at 1.5T:  = 2.675x108 s•1T

 =1.5T
0
 =63.864MHz
0
◼ The resonance frequency,  0, is referred to as the Larmor

frequency.
◼ Imaging:
◼ When the RF pulse is turned off the hydrogen protons slowly
return to their natural alignment within the magnetic field
and release their excess stored energy. This is known as
relaxation.
◼ What happens to the released energy?

◼ Released as heat
OR
◼ Exchanged and absorbed by other protons
OR
◼ Released as Radio Waves.
◼ Measuring the MR Signal:
◼ the moving proton vector induces a signal
in the RF antenna
◼ The signal is picked up by a coil and sent to

the computer system.
the received signal is sinusoidal in
nature
◼ The computer receives mathematical data,

which is converted through the use of a
Fourier transform into an image.
The Image
Physics of MRI
It is an interplay of
◼ Magnetism
◼ Resonance
◼ Fig: 1. A) The top spinning in the earth's gravity. The
gravity tries to pull it down but it stays upright due to
its fast rotation. B) A charge spinning in the magnetic
field Bo.
◼ Fig: 2. A) The protons spinning in the nature, without
an external strong field. The directions of spins are
random and cancel out each other. The net
magnetization is nearly 0. B) In the presence of a
large external magnetic field Bo the spins align
themselves either against (low energy state) or along
(low energy state). There is a slight abundance of
spins aligned in the low energy state.
Fig: 3. A) The compass needle (a small magnet) aligns itself
with a N/S-S/N direction when placed in a large magnetic
field. B) When another strong magnet is brought near the
aligned compass needle the magnetic fields of all three
magnets interact in such a way that the mobile, weakest
magnet (the compass needle) realigns itself away from its
original orientation. C) When the perturbing magnetic field is
removed suddenly the compass needle magnet realigns itself
with the large external magnet field, but before realigning, it
wobbles around the point of stability and gradually comes to
rest.
◼ Fig: 4. The spin of a proton can be represented by a
vector B with a direction and magnitude. Its relation
to the direction of the external magnetic field Bo is
represented by an angle.
◼ Fig: 5. A) The spin of a proton aligned to Bo in the Z-
axis. B) An external perturbing magnetic field, B1, is
applied which knocks the vector out of its axis, which
now is aligned at a new angle with respect to Bo. C)
As the perturbing field B1 is removed the vector
gradually starts returning back to its original state and
D) begins to wobble
◼ Fig: 6. A) The falling water rotates a wheel to which a magnet is
attached. When this magnet rotates it induces an alternating
current in a coil of wire which can be detected. B) A magnetic
field (spin of a proton) rotating near a coil of MR antenna induces
a similar current in the loop which can be detected.
Resonance
◼ Fig: 7. The gradient coils. A)
the body placed in the core of
the magnet with B0 aligned to
its long axis. B) the gradient
coil oriented in the Z-axis
(along the long axis of the
body) which gradually and
linearly increases from left to
right. C) At the center of the
gradient field, the frequency is
equal to that of B0, but at a
distance x the field changes
by a factor of B0.
Resonance
◼ The resonance equation shows that the resonance
frequency n of a spin is proportional to the
magnetic field, Bo, it is experiencing.
n =  Bo
◼ Where  is the gyromagnetic ratio. [the ratio of

the magnetic moment of a spinning charged
particle to its angular momentum]
Recap: What Does the Image
Represent?
◼ For every unit volume of tissue, there is a

number of cells, these cells contain water
molecules, each water molecule contain one
oxygen and two hydrogen atoms.
◼ Each hydrogen atom contains one proton in

its nucleus. Different tissues thus produce
different images based on the amount of
their hydrogen atoms producing a signal
◼ Why MRI ?
◼ Utilizes non ionizing
radiation. (unlike x-rays).
◼ Ability to image in any plane.

(unlike CT scans).
◼ Very low incidents of side

effects.
◼ Ability to diagnose, visualize,
and evaluate various
illnesses.
The only better way to see the

insides of your body is to cut
you open!
References
◼ Ballinger, Ray. Basics of MRI. 1994-1996.
http://www.mritutor.org/mritutor/basics.htm Retrieved: 7/7/03
◼ Buckwalter, Ken, M.D. Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/lectures/mri/iu_lectures/mr
i_homepage.htm Retrieved: 7/6/2003
◼ Gould, Todd, RT, MR, ARRT. How MRI Works.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/mri7.htm
Retrieved:7/5/2003
◼ Hornak, Joseph, PhD. The Basics of MRI. 1996-2003.

http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/index.html
◼ Nagasaki School of Medicine, Department of Radiology.

Basics of MRI-I.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging

◼ MRI is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic

◼ In 1977 the first MRI exam was performed on a

◼ A magnet which produces a very powerful uniform

◼ Gradient Magnets which are much lower in strength.

◼ Equipment to transmit radio frequency (RF).

◼ A very powerful computer system, which translates the

◼ The most important component of the MRI

◼ Earth magnetic field: 0.5-gauss

◼ Super conducting magnets (the most commonly

◼ In addition to the main magnet, the MRI machine

◼ Spin can be thought of as a small magnetic field

◼ Components of an atom such as protons,

◼ Why Are Protons Important to MRI?

◼ spin about a central axis

◼ a moving (spinning) charge creates a

◼ The RF pulses are applied through a

◼ The pulse directed to a specific area of the body

Frequency (Hz) of energy absorption depends on strength of

For hydrogen at 1.5T:  = 2.675x108 s•1T

◼ The resonance frequency,  0, is referred to as the Larmor

◼ What happens to the released energy?

◼ The signal is picked up by a coil and sent to

◼ The computer receives mathematical data,

◼ Where  is the gyromagnetic ratio. [the ratio of

◼ For every unit volume of tissue, there is a

◼ Each hydrogen atom contains one proton in

◼ Ability to image in any plane.

◼ Very low incidents of side

The only better way to see the

◼ Buckwalter, Ken, M.D. Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

◼ Gould, Todd, RT, MR, ARRT. How MRI Works.

◼ Hornak, Joseph, PhD. The Basics of MRI. 1996-2003.

◼ Nagasaki School of Medicine, Department of Radiology.

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