I.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and
pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures
inside the body. In many cases, MRI gives different information about
structures in the body than can be seen with an X-ray, ultrasound,
or computed tomography (CT) scan. MRI also may show problems that
cannot be seen with other imaging methods.
For an MRI test, the area of the body being studied is placed inside a
special machine that contains a strong magnet. Pictures from an MRI scan
are digital images that can be saved and stored on a computer for more
study. The images also can be reviewed remotely, such as in a clinic or an
operating room. In some cases, contrast material may be used during the
MRI scan to show certain structures more clearly.
You may be able to have an MRI with an open machine that doesn't
enclose your entire body. But open MRI machines aren't available
everywhere. The pictures from an open MRI may not be as good as those
from a standard MRI machine.
MRI can give different information about structures in the body than can
be obtained using a standard x-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography
(CT) exam. For example, an MRI exam of a joint can provide detailed images
of ligaments and cartilage, which are not visible using other study types. In
some cases, a magnetically active material (called a contrast agent) is used
to show internal structures or abnormalities more clearly.
In most MRI devices, an electric current is passed through coiled wires to
create a temporary magnetic field around a patients body. (In open-MRI
devices, permanent magnets are used.) Radio waves are sent from and
received by a transmitter/receiver in the machine, and these signals are
used to produce digital images of the area of interest.
II.
History
and note the scientists who made the extraordinary contributions that have
led to five Nobel Prizes awarded to discoveries related to NMR/MRI.
By 1975, Peter Mansfield and Andrew Maudsley proposed a line scan
technique, which, in 1977, led to the first image of in vivo human anatomy,
a cross section through a finger. In 1977, Hinshaw, Bottomley, and Holland
succeeded with an image of the wrist and Damadian et al. created a cross
section of a human chest. More human thoracic and abdominal images
followed, and, by 1978, Hugh Clow and Ian R. Young, working at the British
company EMI, reported the first transverse NMR image through a human
head. Two years later, William Moore and colleagues presented the first
coronal and sagittal images through a human head. In 1980, Edelstein et
al. from Aberdeen University in Scotland demonstrated imaging of the body
using Ernsts technique. A single image could be acquired in approximately
five minutes by this technique. By 1986, the imaging time was reduced to
about five seconds without sacrificing too much image quality.
1956 The "Tesla Unit" was proclaimed in the Rathaus of Munich, Germany
by the International Electro-technical Commission-Committee of Action. All
MRI machines are calibrated in "Tesla Units". The strength of a magnetic
field is measured in Tesla or Gauss Units. The stronger the magnetic field,
the stronger the amount of radio signals which can be elicited from the
body's atoms and therefore the higher the quality of MRI images.
1969 Original Concept; Damadian Conceives of and proposes whole body
MR scanner for the first time.
1970 - Key Discovery Makes MR Scanner Possible; Damadian identifies
T1/T2 differences between cancer and normal. He was seeking an MR
signal difference in an important disease (cancer) that would prove his idea
of an MR body scanner was a goal worth pursuing.
March 1971 `First Published Article; Damadian T1/T2 findings and
scanner proposal published inScience, March 19, 1971. High pixel contrast
provided by dramatic T1/T2 differences overcomes x-ray's century-old
inability to see detail in vital organs.
Spring 1971 Scanning Method Proposed; Damadian outlines voxel-by-voxel
scanning method
September 1971 Gradient Method Proposed; Lauterbur notebook proposal
of gradient methods of Gabillard, Purcell & Carr for 1-dimension
March 1972 First Patent Filed; Damadian files '832 patent for 3-dimension
voxel-by-voxel scan method and T1/T2 method.
1972 Raymond Damadian applies for a patent, which describes the concept
of NMR being used for above purpose. He illustrates major parts of MRI
machine in his patent application.
1973 Paul Lauterbur, a chemist and an NMR pioneer at the State University
of New York, Stony Brook, produced the first NMR image. It was of a test
tube.
1975 Phase Coding Introduced; Kumar, Welti & Ernst introduce phase
encoding to scan method
1975 Richard Ernst proposes using phase and frequency encoding and
Fourier transform for acquisition of MR images.
1977 First Human Scan Achieved; Damadian and coworkers, Minkoff and
Goldsmith, achieve first scan (image) of the human body utilizing voxel
method of patent.
Figure 1.
five
the first
history-
making prototype of
is now on
2000s Cardiac MRI, Body MRI, fetal imaging, functional MR imaging are
further developed and become routine in many imaging centers. Research
centers make significant strides forward in imaging cartilage on high field
scanners. The number of free standing MRI centers, most of which utilize
low or moderate field MR scanners significantly increases.
forward
by
now.
Hires,
3D
LowField
MRI= Under .2 Tesla (2,000 Gauss)
MidField
MRI= .2 to 0.6 Tesla (2,000 Gauss to 6,000 Gauss)
HighField
MRI= 1.0 to 1.5 Tesla (10,000 Gauss to 15,000 Gauss)
III.
A. Preparation
The presence of a strong magnetic field means the metal objects of any kind
are not permitted within the scanning room during an MRI Scan. All
jewellery and clothing containing metal, particularly objects containing iron
need to be removed. Internal metal objects such as metal clips, medication
into images of the body by a computer. These images are very precise and
give a clear anatomical view of the body from any angle.
V.
A. Benefits
MRI is a noninvasive imaging technique that does not involve exposure to
ionizing radiation. MR images of the soft-tissue structures of the body
such as the heart, liver and many other organs is more likely in some
instances to identify and accurately characterize diseases than other
imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early
diagnosis and evaluation of many focal lesions and tumors. MRI has proven
valuable in diagnosing a broad range of conditions, including cancer, heart
and vascular disease, and muscular and bone abnormalities. MRI enables
the discovery of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other
imaging methods. MRI allows physicians to assess the biliary system
noninvasively and without contrast injection. The contrast material used in
MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodinebased contrast materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.
MRI provides a noninvasive alternative to x-ray, angiography and CT for
diagnosing problems of the heart and blood vessels.
The magnet may cause pacemakers, artificial limbs, and other implanted
medical devices that contain metal to malfunction or heat up during the
exam. Any loose metal object may cause damage or injury if it gets pulled
toward the magnet. If a contrast agent is used, there is a slight risk of an
allergic reaction. MRI contrast agents can cause problems in patients with
significant kidney disease. Dyes from tattoos or tattooed eyeliner can cause
skin or eye irritation. Medication patches can cause a skin burn. The wire
leads used to monitor an electrocardiogram (ECG) trace or respiration
during a scan must be placed carefully to avoid causing a skin burn.
Prolonged exposure to radio waves during the scan could lead to slight
warming of the body.
Here is a news about an accident happens in MRI session.
Aug. 1, 2001 -- Despite the horrific MRI accident that caused the death of
6-year-old Michael Colombini earlier this week in Valhalla, N.Y., many
medical experts reiterate that the use of the imaging test is safe when used
appropriately. Colombini was undergoing an MRI, or magnetic resonance
imaging, at Westchester County Medical Center last Friday when an oxygen
canister was turned into a guided missile by the powerful MRI magnet. The
canister was drawn into the magnet core while the boy was in the machine.
The result was a fatal blow to the child's head. He died on Sunday. Frank
Shellock, MD, an MRI safety expert who has been tracking MRI-related
accidents for 16 years tells WebMD that this is the first death caused by an
MRI projectile, and that any kind of MRI accident is "relatively rare." MRIs
have been used regularly by doctors since "1982, and it is estimated that
about 10 million MRI imaging studies are done in the United States each
VI.Limitation
High-quality images are assured only if you are able to remain perfectly still
and follow breath-holding instructions while the images are being recorded.
If you are anxious, confused or in severe pain, you may find it difficult to lie
still during imaging.
The presence of an implant or other metallic object sometimes makes it
difficult to obtain clear images. Patient movement can have the same effect.
A very irregular heartbeat may affect the quality of images obtained using
techniques that time the imaging based on the electrical activity of the
heart, such as electrocardiography (EKG).
An MRI is a very expensive and time consuming investigation compared to
other methods such as x-ray and CT. Some parts of the body, like bone, are
better examined using simpler techniques such as an X-Ray. An MRI may
not always be able to tell the difference between some disease processes. It
is also not a very good investigation for emergencies or accidents because of
the long time it takes and the fact that all equipment has to be removed
from the room while the machine is running.
VII.
The equipment
that varies according to the type of body tissue in which they lie. The MR
scanner listens for this energy and creates a picture of the tissues scanned.
from
different
angles
by
the
interpreting
radiologist.
The
This type of MRI is done on the brain, and not only shows the structure of
the brain, but also how much activity is taking place in each part. This has
been used to find out what parts of the brain are most active during certain
situations or tasks. Cardiac MRI: This can be used for several different
conditions and is dealt with separately.
Types of MRI Exams
Brain MRI
An MRI of the brain produces very detailed pictures of the brain. It is
commonly used
to study patients with headaches, seizures, weakness, blurry vision, etc. It
also can
further evaluate an abnormality seen on a CT scan. During the brain MRI,
a special
device called a head coil is placed around the patient's head. It does not
touch the
patient, and the patient can see through large gaps in the coil. This device
is what
helps to produce the very detailed pictures of the brain.
Cardiac MRI
Cardiac MRI can evaluate the size and thickness of the chambers of the
heart, the extent of damage caused by a heart attack or progressive heart
disease, and buildup of plaque and blockages in the blood vessels. It is an
invaluable tool for detecting and evaluating coronary artery disease and the
function of the heart muscles, valves and vessels.
Spine MRI
This test is most commonly used to look for a herniated disc or narrowing
of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis) in patients with neck, arm, back
and/or leg pain. It is also the best test to look for a recurrent disc
herniation in a patient who has had prior back surgery.
Abdomen MRI
MRI of the abdomen is most frequently used to further evaluate an
abnormality seen on another test, such as an ultrasound or CT scan. Thus,
the exam is usually tailored to look at specific organs or tissues, such as
the liver, adrenal glands or pancreas.
Pelvic MRI
For women, pelvic MRI is used to evaluate the ovaries and uterus as
followup to an ultrasound exam which showed an abnormality. It is also
used to evaluate endometrial cancer. For men, pelvic MRI is sometimes
used to evaluate prostate cancer.
IX.
everyday life. We use unit of gauss (G) or tesla (T), where 10000 gauss is
equal to 1 tesla, to describe the strength of the field.
The basic concept used both for creating the magnetic fields we need for
MRI and detecting the MR signal is that if we run an electrical current
through a wire, then a magnetic field is created around the wire. For the
design of MRI systems, this idea is extended further by wrapping wires in
repeated loops along the surface of a cylinder, which makes the magnetic
field stronger and more uniform over a larger volume at the center of the
cylindrical coil of wire.
Magnetic Field Gradient
A gradient in the magnetic field is what will allow us to accomplish this. A
magnetic field gradient is a variation in the magnetic field with respect to
position. A one-dimensional magnetic field gradient is a variation with
respect to one direction, while a two-dimensional gradient is a variation
with respect to two. The most useful type of gradient in magnetic resonance
imaging is a one- dimensional linear magnetic field gradient. A onedimensional magnetic field gradient along the x axis in a magnetic field, B o,
indicates that the magnetic field is increasing in the x direction. Here the
length of the vectors represents the magnitude of the magnetic field. The
symbols for a magnetic field gradient in the x, y, and z directions are G x, Gy,
and Gz.
storing,
printing,
in medical
X.
Hornak, JP. The Basics of MRI. The Centre of Imaging Science. 2006.
July 1, 2015. http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/
resonance-imaging?
source=search_result&search=principles+of+magnetic+resonance+imaging
&selectedTitle=1~150
http://www.qmagnets.com/magnetic-field-gradients.php