Basic Principles of Mri

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MRI
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Historical review
3. Basic MR physics
4. Principle
5. Advantages
6. Disadvantages
7. Applications
INTRODUCTION
• MRI is a non-invasive method of
mapping the internal structure and
certain aspects of function within the
body.
• It uses non-ionizing electromagnetic

radiation and appears to be without
exposure-related hazard.
 Essentials of Dental Radiography and Radiology. Eric Whaites 4 th edition

 Girish Katti, Syeda Arshiya Ara, Ayesha Shireen. MRI : A review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
OF DENTAL CLINICS 2011:3(1):65-70
HISTORY
Isidor Isaac Rabi – (1930) succeeded in detecting single state of rotation of
atoms and molecules and in determining the mechanical and magnetic moments
of the nuclei.
(1946) MR phenomenon - Bloch and Purcell
(1973) described the first magnetic resonance image – Paul Lauterbur

Peter Mansfield done mathematical analysis
 White and Pharoah 6th edition. Oral Radiology Principles and Interpretation.
 Frey R Karjodkar 2nd edition. Textbook of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology.
Basic MR physics
Atomic Structure:
Isotopes
Spin - It is a fundamental property of nature like electrical charge or

mass.
Spin comes in multiples of 1/2 and can be + or - Protons, electrons, and

neutrons possess spin.
Individual unpaired electrons, protons, and neutrons each possess a

spin of 1/2.
 Properties of Spin: When placed in a magnetic
field, a particle with a net spin can absorb a
photon, of frequency .
Girish Katti, Syeda Arshiya Ara, Ayesha Shireen. MRI : A review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
OF DENTAL CLINICS 2011:3(1):65-70
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
• MRI is based on totally different

physical principles in that radiant
energy is in the form of
radiofrequency waves, rather than
x-rays.
To make a magnetic resonance
image
• Patient is placed inside a large
magnet
• RF pulse is sent - Resonate
• RF pulse is turned off
• Patient signal in a coil in the
scanner
• Construct the image
PROTONS
Angular Momentum Or Spin :- Individual proton
and neutrons (nucleons) in the nuclei of all
atoms.
In nuclei, P = N then net spin is zero.

Unpaired P or N have a net spin.
SPIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE
• Magnetic field is generated with an
nuclei with unpaired nucleons,
causing these nuclei to act as
magnets with north and south
poles MAGNETIC DIPOLES and
having a
MAGNETIC MOMENT
 The composition of the human body is
primarily fat and water.
Fat and water have many hydrogen atoms.
63% of human body is hydrogen atoms.
MRI uses hydrogen because it has only one

proton and it aligns easily with the MRI magnet.
The hydrogen atom’s proton, possesses a

property called spin.
NET MAGNETIZATION VECTOR
Spin up – parallels the external magnetic field
Spin down – antiparallel with the field
More energy is required to align

antiparallel
Hydrogen nuclei align are considered

to be at higher energy state
Hydrogen nuclei align parallel - considered to be at
lower energy state
More aligned parallel to magnetic field
NET MAGNETIZATION VECTOR IN THE DIRECTION

OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD
The magnetic field strength The magnitude of

the net magnetization vector
Eric Whaites 4th edition. Essentials of Dental Radiography and Radiology.
PRECESSION
The rate or
frequency of
precession is called
the PRECESSIONAL,
RESONANCE, OR
LARMOR
FREQUENCY; it
depends on the
species of nucleus
and is proportional
to the strength of
the external
magnetic field.
 White and Pharoah 6th edition & Eric Whaites 4th edition
MAGNETIC
RESONANCE FIELD
STRENGTHS – 0.1
TO 4 TESLA
 1.5 T BEING THE

MOST COMMON
Precessional frequency of a magnetic dipole in
an external field depends on the strength of
field.
flarmor = μ B0
flarmor = Larmor or resonance frequency
μ = gyromagnetic ratio
B0 = Applied magnetic field.
flarmor = 42.58 MHz/T

So, for 1.5 Tesla –> 63.86 MHz
MRI : A review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DENTAL CLINICS 2011:3(1):65-70
• Low energy nuclei  RESONANCE
parallel state
• High energy nuclei 
antiparallel state
Protons resonate and absorb the RF
energy
ENERGY REQUIRED
LOWER TO HIGHER ENERGY LEVEL
Low energy to high energy

state
MRI SCANNER  RF portion broadcast
from an antenna coil is directed to
tissue with protons aligned in z axis
LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC
VECTOR IS REDUCED
Frequency of RF pulse matches the
Larmor frequency of protons
• An RF pulse that accomplished is called a 90 –
degree RF pulse or flip angle of 90 degrees
• If RF pulse is of sufficient intensity and
duration, LMV is reduced to zero
• Results in NET TISSUE MAGNETIZATION
VECTOR IN TRANSVERSE PLANE (XY PLANE)
• RF IS APPLIED LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC
VECTOR (LMV)
the net magnetic vector in the
transverse plane is maximized
because the magnetic moments of
all nuclei are in phase.
RF IS APPLIED TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC VECTOR (TMV)
MAGNETIC RESONANCE SIGNAL
The frequency of this alternating current
signal = frequency of RF pulse and the
Larmor precessional frequency of
hydrogen nuclei
TIGHTLY BOUND HYDROGEN ATOMS –

BONE – WEAK SIGNAL
LOOSELY BOUND HYDROGEN ATOMS –

SOFT TISSUES – STRONG SIGNAL (react to
the RF pulse and thus a detectable signal
Concentration of loosely bound hydrogen nuclei available to create signal
PROTON DENSITY OR SPIN DENSITY
The
concentration of
nuclei of loosely Net transverse Intense the BRIGHTER THE
bound magnetization recovered CORRESPONDING
H2 atoms signal PART OF THE MRI
RELAXATION
• When the RF pulse is turned off, the
nuclei begin to return to their
lower-energy spin state.
RF PULSE IS TURNED OFF
GIVE UP THE ABSORBED ENERGY BY THE RF PULSE
HIGHER RETURN TO LOWER ENERGY

STATE
Net longitudinal vector returns

to its original state
Additionally and Individual
magnetic moments interact
and dephase
Reduction in the transverse magnetization vector
– a condition is called as DECAY
LOSS OF INTENSITY OF MR signal
The reduced voltage induced in the receiving

coil  Free induction decay signal (FID) signal
Free induction decay signal (FID) signal
IN SUM, FID OF THE MR SIGNAL RESULTS FROM THE LOSS OF TRANSVERSE MAGNETIZATION
VECTOR, RESULTS FROM RETURN OF NET MAGNETIZATION VECTOR  LONGITUDINAL PLANE
and DEPHASING OF THE HYDROGEN NUCLEI
T1 AND T2 RELAXATION
 T1 Relaxation time ( Spin-lattice
Relaxation time ) :-
-> Relaxation at the end of the RF

pulse results in recovery of the
longitudinal magnetization.
-> Transfer of energy from spin to
lattice.
• Time required for 63 % of the net
magnetization to return to
equilibrium by this transfer of
energy is called as T1 – relaxation
time.
• It varies with different tissues and

reflects the ability of their nuclei to
transfer their excess energy to
surrounding molecules.
T2 Relaxation time ( spin - spin
Relaxation time ) :-
-> Additionally, and the end of the RF

pulse, the magnetic moments of
adjacent hydrogen nuclei begin to
interfere with one another.
-> Cause the nuclei to dephase with a
resultant loss of transverse
magnetization
• As the transverse magnetization
rapidly decay to zero, so the
amplitude and duration of the
detected radio signal.
• T2 occurs more rapidly than T1
RF PULSES SEQUENCES
TR TIME (REPETITION TIME) TE TIME (ECHO TIME)

• Duration between repeat RF • The time after application of the
pulses RF pulse when the MR signal is
needed.
• It determines the amount of T1 • It controls the amount of T2

relaxation that has occurred at relaxation that has occurred
the time the signal is collected. when the signal is collected.
TISSUE CONTRAST
• Image contrast between tissues is
governed by intrinsic features of the
tissues, including proton density, T1 and
T2 times of the issues being imaged.
 A tissue that has a high proton density and strong

transverse magnetization vector at TE will produce a strong
magnetic resonance signal that will appear bright on a MRI
 A tissue that has a low proton density and low transverse

magnetization vector that will produce a weak signal and
appear dark on a MRI
T1 WEIGHTED IMAGE T2 WEIGHTED IMAGE
• Short TR times, typically 300 to • Long TR times, 2000 ms

700 ms • Long TE time – 60 ms
• Short TE time – 20 ms • Tissues with short T2 times – fat
• Tissues with Fast T1 times – fat will be dark.
will be bright. • Tissues with long T2 times – CSF,
• Tissues with long T1 times – CSF, water will be bright.
water will be dark.
Demonstrate anatomy Images with inflammatory and other

pathologic cavities
Table : T1 & T2 Relaxation times in a Main Field of 1.5 Tesla
TISSUE TYPE T1 TIME (MS) T2 TIME (MS)
Fat 240-250 60-80
Bone marrow 550 50
White matter of 780 90

cerebrum
Gray matter of cerebrum 920 100
Muscle 860-990 50
CSF (similar to water) 2200-2400 500-1400
CONTRAST AGENTS
Gadolinium may be administered intravenously – to
improve tissue contrast.
- It shortens the T1 relaxation time of enhancing

tissues, making them brighter.
- It is useful for enhancing some tumours by

allowing them to be better differentiated from
surrounding normal tissue.
- T1 postgadolinium administration and with fat
saturation, and T2 with fat saturation images
- Side effect – nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in

some patients with renal dysfunction.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF COILS ARE USED IN MR SYSTEMS
1) GRADIENT COILS – used to produce controlled
variations in the main magnetic field to provide
spatial localization of the signals and to apply
reversal pulses in some imaging techniques.
2) RADIOFREQUENCY COILS – MR imaging RF coils

to receive and transmit signals.
3) SHIM COILS – provide auxiliary magnetic fields

in order to compensate for in-homogeneities in
the main magnetic field of the MRI machine.
SCANNER GRADIENTS
MR signal must be collected from a discrete slice of tissue in the patient
Three gradient coils  X (left to right) , Y (anterior to posterior), Z (Head to toe)
Intensity of magnetic fields surrounding a patient may be modified with gradient coils
1.5 T scanner – z axis gradient is turned on, strength of magnetic field at head 1.4 T and at
Toe 1.6 T
The precessional frequency of Hydrogen nuclei linearly along the magnetic gradient
SCANNER GRADIENTS
RF pulse is applied, same frequency will resonate  allows selected the desired slice of
tissue along patient’s long axis
Location of the signal within X and Y transverse plane of the selected longitudinal plane ---
switching off the Z gradient coils
Alters the phase and precessional frequencies of the nuclei in the selected slice
Resulting the MR signal from the patient is read out while the frequency encoding gradient
is applied
The signal from the patient contains many frequencies  This information, which reflects
the no. of hydrogen nuclei and their T1 and T2 properties at each X and Y location
 There are many pulse sequences involving
varying the strength and timing of the RF pulses
that emphasize or suppress various tissues in the
resultant images.
 Techniques such as Spin – echo and gradient

echo allow images to be captured rapidly.
 Other techniques allow the signal from fat or

water, to be enhanced or suppressed. Called as
“fat saturation” nulls the signal from fat.
Signal intensity: The intensity of signal from each tissue on MR images
1) Low signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is lower

than that of muscle on T1 or T2 –Weighted images.
2) High signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is same or

higher than that from fat tissue on T1 or T2 –Weighted images.
3) Intermediate signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is

somewhere between muscle and fat tissue signals on T1 or T2 –
Weighted images.
Hyperintense (more intense): If an
abnormality is bright (white) on MR,
we describe it as hyperintense.
Isointense (the same intensity): If
an abnormality is the same
intensity to a reference structure,
we describe it as isointense.
Hypointense (less intense): If an
abnormality is dark on MR, we describe
it as hypointense.
http://radiopaedia.org/articles/mri-sequences-basic
Intensity
When describing most MRI sequences we refer to the shade of
grey of tissues or fluid with the word intensity, leading to the
following absolute terms:
 High signal intensity = white
 Intermediate signal intensity = grey
 Low signal intensity = black
Often we refer to the appearance by relative terms:

 Hyperintense = brighter than the thing we are comparing it to
 Isointense = same brightness as the thing we are comparing it
to
 Hypointense = darker than the thing we are comparing it to
Advantages
1. Best contrast resolution of soft tissue details.
2. No ionizing radiation and non-invasive.
3. The region of the body imaged in MRI with the

gradient coils, direct multiplanar image is possible
without reorienting the patient.
4. Image manipulation available.

6. High resolution images can be constructed in
all planes.
7. Useful in determining intramedullary spread

malignancy.
8. Blood vessels are clearly seen.

Disadvantages
1. Relatively long imaging times
2. Expensive.
3. The potential hazard imposed by the presence of ferromagnetic

metals in the vicinity of the imaging magnet – excludes the any
pt. With the implanted metallic foreign objects.
(Metallic objects, e.g. endotracheal tubes need to be replaced
by non-ferromagnetic alternatives.)
4. MRI scanners are noisy.

5. Patients with certain types of surgical clips, cardiac
pacemakers, cochlear implants and pregnant patients.
6. Metallic objects in the oral cavity such as appliances, crowns

etc. May be artifacts.
7. Patient could develop an allergic reaction to the contrasting

agent, or that a skin infection could develop at the site of
injection.
8. Claustrophobic procedure.
9. Cortical bone is not imaged, the signal obtainable is only for

the bone marrow.
10. Facilities are not widely available, but with
the development of small open systems suitable
for district general hospitals.
APPLICATIONS
 Assessment of intracranial lesions involving the posterior cranial
fossa.
 Investigations of the salivary glands.
 Tumour staging – evaluation of size, site and extent of soft and

hard tissue tumours including nodal involvement,
 The salivary glands

 Tongue and floor of mouth
 Pharynx
 Larynx
 sinuses
 The orbits
 The jaws, to assess bone marrow involvement
 Investigation of TMJ – position and integrity of the disk of TMJ.
 To evaluate structural integrity of trigeminal nerve in trigeminal

neuralgia.
 In surgery of parotid gland MRI can detect the cause of facial

nerve within the glandular tissue and help lessen the likelihood of
post-operative facial nerve palsy
 Implant assessment
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
Oral cancer staging
1 2
3
Paiva et al. Oral cancer staging established by magnetic resonance imaging. Braz Oral Res.
2011 Nov-Dec;25(6):512-8
TONGUE
4
Cheng K Ong and Vincent F H Chong. Imaging of tongue carcinoma. Cancer Imaging (2006) 6,
186–193
6
7
8
8
SALIVARY GLANDS
9
Pictorial essay: salivary gland imaging. Indian journal of radiology and imaging 2012 Oct-Dec;
22(4): 325-333
Salivary Gland
10
11
TMJ
12
14
15

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BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MRI

• It uses non-ionizing electromagnetic

 Essentials of Dental Radiography and Radiology. Eric Whaites 4 th edition

(1946) MR phenomenon - Bloch and Purcell

(1973) described the first magnetic resonance image – Paul Lauterbur

Spin - It is a fundamental property of nature like electrical charge or

Spin comes in multiples of 1/2 and can be + or - Protons, electrons, and

Individual unpaired electrons, protons, and neutrons each possess a

• MRI is based on totally different

In nuclei, P = N then net spin is zero.

Fat and water have many hydrogen atoms.

63% of human body is hydrogen atoms.

MRI uses hydrogen because it has only one

The hydrogen atom’s proton, possesses a

More energy is required to align

Hydrogen nuclei align are considered

More aligned parallel to magnetic field

NET MAGNETIZATION VECTOR IN THE DIRECTION

The magnetic field strength The magnitude of

 1.5 T BEING THE

flarmor = 42.58 MHz/T

Low energy to high energy

RF IS APPLIED TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC VECTOR (TMV)

TIGHTLY BOUND HYDROGEN ATOMS –

LOOSELY BOUND HYDROGEN ATOMS –

PROTON DENSITY OR SPIN DENSITY

GIVE UP THE ABSORBED ENERGY BY THE RF PULSE

HIGHER RETURN TO LOWER ENERGY

Net longitudinal vector returns

LOSS OF INTENSITY OF MR signal

The reduced voltage induced in the receiving

-> Relaxation at the end of the RF

• It varies with different tissues and

-> Additionally, and the end of the RF

TR TIME (REPETITION TIME) TE TIME (ECHO TIME)

• It determines the amount of T1 • It controls the amount of T2

 A tissue that has a high proton density and strong

 A tissue that has a low proton density and low transverse

• Short TR times, typically 300 to • Long TR times, 2000 ms

Demonstrate anatomy Images with inflammatory and other

TISSUE TYPE T1 TIME (MS) T2 TIME (MS)

Fat 240-250 60-80

Bone marrow 550 50

White matter of 780 90

CSF (similar to water) 2200-2400 500-1400

- It shortens the T1 relaxation time of enhancing

- It is useful for enhancing some tumours by

- Side effect – nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in

2) RADIOFREQUENCY COILS – MR imaging RF coils

3) SHIM COILS – provide auxiliary magnetic fields

Three gradient coils  X (left to right) , Y (anterior to posterior), Z (Head to toe)

 Techniques such as Spin – echo and gradient

 Other techniques allow the signal from fat or

1) Low signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is lower

2) High signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is same or

3) Intermediate signal intensity: If the signal intensity from a tissue is

Often we refer to the appearance by relative terms:

2. No ionizing radiation and non-invasive.

3. The region of the body imaged in MRI with the

4. Image manipulation available.

7. Useful in determining intramedullary spread

8. Blood vessels are clearly seen.