MRI INSTRUMENTATION

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL,MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA

ROSHINEE R TRIPATHI
 ROSHINEE RAMANUJ TRIPATHI

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL,MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA

CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• MAGNET SYSTEM
• MAGNET SHIELDING
• SHIM SYSTEM
• GRADIENT SYSTEM
• RF SYSTEM
• COMPUTER SYSTEM
• SCANNER CONFIGURATION
 MAGNETISM
• According to Aristotle ,Thales of Miletus
• First Greek philosopher to examine ferromagnetism from scientific
viewpoint
• Electromagnetism was accidentally discovered by Hans Christian
Oersted in 1820
• Raymond invented the first MRI scanner by hand
• Along with Michael Goldsmith and Larry Minkoff
• In New York at Downstate Medical Center
• In between 1977 to 1978
• On cancer patient

Diamagnetism Paramagnetic Ferromagnetism

 ELECTROMAGNETS

By passing a current through a coil of wire a magnetic field is

generated within and around the coil(a simple solenoid)
 MAGNET SYSTEM

Permanent magnet Electromagnet

Superconducting
Resistive magnet
electromagnet
 Permanent magnet
• Do not employ electromagnet
• It employs or manufactured from
ferromagnetic alloys neodymium
boron iron nickel cobalt (alnico)
• As they have unpaired electrons
• Not require electric power or
cryogenic cooling for magnetic field
• Only for other components
• This magnets are unable to
generate flux density more
than0.5T
• It cannot be switched off in
emergency
• Flux density is not stable may
change with environmental
temperature of magnet room
 Resistive magnet

• There are two types of resistive magnets

• Iron core magnet also known as the hybrid
system
• It consist of permanent magnet with
addition of conductive windings
• Due to which it enables an increase in
magnetic field strength without increasing
magnetic weight
• Copper or Al is Preferred
• Mostly Al
 Resistive MRI
scanner
• It employs copper-wound Solenoids
• It operate just below room temperature
• Magnet can be switched off safely
• Field strength can be adjusted
AIR CORE MAGNET
• It is made by multiple turns of wire of Al
• Wound into a solenoid
• The coils have resistance to the current
• Resistive magnet can be horizontal or vertical
depending upon winding orientation
 SUPER CONDUCTING
ELE CTROMAGNET

• It creates magnetic field in a same way as

resistive magnet
• Solenoid windings are spun of type metal
alloy that is superconductive
• Typically niobium titanium
• It resistivity of metal decreases to zero
• When metal is cooled below certain
critical temperature
 CRYOSTAT
• It means cold and stable
• It contains cryogen liquid helium
• It has boiling point 4.2K
• Its primary function is to prevent heat transfer
• Basically from the gradient coils
• The cryostat reduces the rate at which liquid helium boils off to atmosphere
• Outer structure consist of cylindrical steel tank
• Except an aperture through which the liquid helium is filled (QUENCH PIPE)
• Entire tank is evacuated with air
• It reduces the heat transfer by thermal convection
• On top outer shell of cryostat refrigeration unit is present that chills the metal
• Inside “WARM BORE” is present
• It contains patient bore also it can operated at room temperature
• Similar shaped secondary cryogen chamber is also present
MAGNET SHIELDING

Before 1987 passive shielding is present

PASSIVE To maintain safety large footprint area
SHIELDING was necessary
It should be away from adjacent
departments and public areas
Fringe field is also reduced through it
Steel plates surrounded around scanner
and in the walls of magnet room
Lines of magnetic flux travels through
ferromagnetic media in preference to air
It reroutes the fringe field back
Disadvantages : iron cladding can weigh
20 tons expensive it may adversely affect
the homogeneity
 ACTIVE
SHIELDING

• Two larger diameter solenoids are used

• This are called as bucking coils
• It oppose the effect of the main magnet
winding
• They actively shield the surrounding
environment
• Within a short distance from the scanner
• Bucking field carries a current flowing in
opposite direction to the main magnet
windings
• Reversing flux is used
 SHIMMING
• It is done to avoid homogeneity
varying
• This are typically ferromagnetic plates
• This are positioned around the inner
circumference of the cryostat
• It is done to compensate
inhomogeneity
 PASSIVE SHIMMING
• It uses electromagnet instead of
• This are long plastic trays
• That are fit around the full length
of the bore
• In inner circumference of the
warm bore of cryostat
• Shim trays have around 14-16
spaced compartment
• It accommodates small
ferromagnetic shims
• Which are strategically positioned
• To balance out inhomogeneity
• It is mounted inside bore
ACTIVE SHIMMING
ferromagnetic shims
• It is performed by additional
superconducting solenoid
• Solenoid is inside the cryostat
• Advantage is that no additional
electric power is required
• While installation the same
procedure is carried out as in
passive
• As manipulating the charge in
superconducting coil is time
consuming
• NOTE: It is used to shim large
changes in magnetic field
homogeneity
 GRADIENT SYSTEM
• It present towards the center of the warm
bore
• It creates linear magnetic gradients
• Along 3 orthogonal axes of imaging volume
• These axes are mutually perpendicular
• Labelled as x y z axes in a closed MRI bore
• Y-axis lies vertically when patient is in
supine PA
• X-axis oriented horizontally from left to right
• Z-axis along the magnet bore horizontally
from head to foot
• The flux line of B0 run vertically between
the magnet
• The z and y gradients are therefore reversed
 GRADIENT COIL
• It is cylindrical solenoid magnet
• Instead of conductive windings it
uses the modern gradient coils
• It is a copper plated cylinder with
conducting elements in its surface
• It allows complex configuration in a
relatively compact and light form
• Copper etching is supported by a
shell
• To prevent physical vibrations by
Lorentz force
 RF SYSTEM

• It is the next major component

• The purpose of the RF system
• To transmit and receive
electromagnetic radiation during
image acquisition
• It have both electrical and magnetic
properties
• The purpose of transmitted RF is to
target a volume (slice)
• That of the tissue within the region
to be examined
• To increase the energy level of
proportion of the hydrogen nuclei
within that slice
RF TRANSMIT RF RECEIVE
COIL COIL

RF RECEIVE SURFACE
SYSTEM RECEIVE COILS
Computer system

The entire process is of an MRI

acquisition is done by the host
computer
The GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
SYSTEM is used to identify the
patient
Usually via network link to the
radiology information system
 SCANNER CONFIGURATION

Open system
• Used for large animals humans

Closed system

• Used worldwide and typical

Extremity system

• It is designed to scan limbs

THANK YOU