MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Other Hardware of MRI

Radio Frequency (RF) chain

The Radio Frequency (RF) chain in

MRI is a series of components that are
responsible for generating, transmitting,
and receiving RF energy in order to
manipulate the magnetic field of the
MRI system. The RF chain consists of
three components: RF transmitter, RF
coil, and RF receiver
The RF transmitter generates a time-varying magnetic field that is
delivered to the RF coil. This coil is placed around the body part to be
imaged and converts the magnetic field into an electrical signal that can
be detected by the RF receiver. The RF receiver then amplifies and
filters the signal, which is used to generate the MRI image.

Overall, the RF chain plays a

critical role in the quality of the
MRI image and is an essential
component of the MRI system
 Faraday shield
The frequency range used in MRI is the same as used for radio
transmissions. That's why MRI scanners are placed in a Faraday cage to
prevent radio waves to enter the scanner room, which may cause artifacts
on the MRI image

A Faraday shield is a metallic layer that

surrounds the RF coil in an MRI
system. The shield is made of a
conductive material that can reflect or
absorb electromagnetic waves in the
range of the MRI frequency to prevent
any unwanted electromagnetic
interference (EMI) from outside the
MRI unit.
 To function properly, an MRI scanner needs to sit in a specialized room
or chamber shielded against Radio Frequency (RF) interference.
Without such protection the very weak RF signals that emanate from
the patient when scanned would be overwhelmed.

By enclosing the RF coil inside the

Faraday shield, the EMI radiation
from the outside can't reach the RF
coil. Therefore, the Faraday shield is
an essential component in the MRI
and helps to ensure the quality and
safety of the MR imaging.
 Atomic Structure
Atoms are the building blocks of matter and are composed of a central
nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.

The most abundant atom in the body is hydrogen. This is most

commonly found in molecules of water (where two hydrogen atoms are
arranged with one oxygen atom, H2O) and fat (where hydrogen atoms
are arranged with carbon and oxygen atoms; the number of each depends
on the type of fat).

The atom consists of three types of subatomic particles: protons,

neutrons, and electrons.
The nucleus is very small, one
millionth of a billionth of the total
volume of an atom, but it contains
the entire atom’s mass. This mass
comes mainly from particles called
nucleons, which are subdivided into
protons and neutrons.

Atoms are characterized in two ways. The atomic number is the sum of
the protons in the nucleus. This number gives an atom its chemical
identity. The mass number is the sum of the protons and neutrons in the
nucleus.
The number of neutrons and protons in a nucleus are typically balanced so
that the mass number is an even number. In some atoms, however, there
are slightly more or fewer neutrons than protons. Atoms of elements with
the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons are called
isotopes. Nuclei with an odd mass number (a different number of protons
to neutrons) are important in MRI
Electrons are particles that spin around the nucleus. Traditionally this is
thought of as being analogous to planets orbiting around the sun. In
reality, electrons exist around the nucleus in a cloud; the outermost
dimension of the cloud is the edge of the atom.
 Magnetization
Earth is electrically charged, due to the presence of a magnetic field
generated by the molten iron in its core. And the spinning ball of Earth
is floating in space, as it orbits around the sun.

The magnetic field strength of the Earth varies depending on your

location and the time of day, but on average, it is around 25 to 65
micro-tesla (μ T) at the Earth's surface. At the equator, the strength is
about 31 μT, while at the poles, it is roughly 60 μT. However, these
values are not fixed and can change due to the activity of the Earth's
magnetosphere and the solar wind.
Magnetization refers to the process of making a material magnetic or inducing the
presence of a magnetic field in a material. When a material is magnetized, its
magnetic domains (which are small areas within a material where magnetic fields align
in the same direction) become aligned in the same direction, creating a net magnetic
field. Magnetization can be induced in materials in several ways, including exposure to
a magnetic field or applying an electric current. The magnetic properties of materials
that have been magnetized can be beneficial in a variety of applications, including the
creation of electric motors, generators, and magnetic storage devices.
 The hydrogen proton behaves as if it were a tiny bar magnet with a
north and a south pole. Hydrogen protons in the body thus act like many
tiny magnets. The nucleus is said to be a magnetic dipole, and the name
for its magnetism is magnetic moment. It is essential that there be a
source of protons in order to form the MR signal.

We conclude from the above that

there are two reasons for taking
hydrogen as a source to form the
MR signal or MR imaging source
First off all we have a lot of them in our body. Actually it's the most
abundant element we have.

Second: The gyromagnetic ratio (also known as the magnetogyric ratio) is

a physical constant that relates to the intrinsic magnetic moment of a
subatomic particle, such as an electron or proton, to its angular
momentum.

The gyromagnetic ratio is an important parameter in nuclear magnetic

resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as it is used to
calculate the resonance frequency of a nucleus in a magnetic field.