3/7/2013

MRI TECHNOLOGY

CONTENTS

TITLE FRONT PAGE CERTIFICATE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MRI OVER VIEW HISTORY OF MRI MRI CIRCUIT DIAGRAM MRI WORKING PRINCIPLE TYPES OF MRI MRI SIGN INDICATION APPLICATIONS FUTURE SCOPE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES CONCLUSION REFERENCES 3

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ABSTRACT
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI), or magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to scan the patients of the body in detail. MRI makes use of the property of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to image nuclei of atoms inside the body. An MRI scanner is a device in which the patient lies within a large, powerful magnet where the magnetic field is used to align the magnetization of some atomic nuclei in the body, and radio frequency magnetic fields are applied to systematically alter the alignment of this magnetization. This causes the nuclei to produce a rotating magnetic field detectable by the scanner and this information is recorded to construct an image of the scanned area of the body.

INTRODUCTION WHAT IS AN MRI TECHONOLGY

Medical Imaging is the branch of medicine which uses different imaging modalities to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. A MRI Technologist is a professional who, under the Supervision of a physician (usually a radiologist), operates MRI equipment and obtains the images needed for the diagnosis to be made .A radiologist is a physician who has earned an MD and then completes a four year residency in diagnostic radiology .Radiologists read or interpret images and diagnose pathology on the images.

MRI SCANNER

Why MRI is Done

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. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is done for many reasons. It is used to find problems such as tumors, bleeding, injury, blood vessel diseases, or infection. MRI also may be done to provide more information about a problem seen on an X-ray, ultrasound scan, or CT scan. Contrast material may be used during MRI to show abnormal tissue more clearly. An MRI scan can be done for the:

Head. MRI can look at the brain for tumors, an aneurysm, bleeding in the brain, nerve injury, and other problems, such as damage caused by a stroke. MRI can also find problems of the eyes and optic nerves, and the ears and auditory nerves. Chest. MRI of the chest can look at the heart, the valves, and coronary blood vessels. It can show if the heart or lungs are damaged. MRI of the chest may also be used to look for breast or lung cancer. Blood vessels. Using MRI to look at blood vessels and the flow of blood through them is called magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). It can find problems of the arteries and veins, such as an aneurysm, a blocked blood vessel, or the torn lining of a blood vessel (dissection). Sometimes contrast material is used to see the blood vessels more clearly.

MRI OVERVIEW
Magnetic resonance imaging, also referred to as MRI or MR, is a state of the art modality that uses a strong magnetic field and advanced computers to acquire images. MRI does not use any radiation, although the strong magnetic field creates a need for knowledgeable technologists to create a safe environment for staff and patients. The MRI technologist is responsible for completing a safety screening form and obtaining medical history for all those entering the MRI environment. Good communication is essential to explain the procedure with the patient. MRI exams normally take twenty minutes to one hour of scan time depending on the body region and site scanner. The MRI machine creates a variety of loud noises; therefore the patient needs to be given ear protection, ie: earplug or headphones. The body region will be placed near or surrounded by a coil. Coils are used to receive the signal that is emitted from the body. The signal is then processed using advanced computers to create the MRI image. MRI images are highly detailed, so knowledge of anatomy is essential. The technologist will manipulate imaging parameters on the console to obtain optimum images. The technologist will also post process images as needed by the radiologist for interpretation. MRI is an important part of the medical imaging department. MRI technology allows us to acquire unsurpassed images of the human body which aids in an accurate and reliable diagnosis.

History of MRI
In 1952, Herman Carr produced a one-dimensional MRI image as reported in his Harvard PhD thesis .In the Soviet Union, Vladislav Ivanov filed (in 1960) a document with the USSR State Committee for Inventions and Discovery at Leningrad for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging device, although this was not approved until the 1970s. In a 1971 paper in the journal Science, Raymond Damadian, an Armenian-American physician, scientist, and professor at the Downstate Medical Center State University of New York (SUNY), reported that tumors and normal tissue can be distinguished in vivo by nuclear magnetic resonance ("NMR"). He suggested that these differences could be used to diagnose cancer, though later research would find that these differences, while real, are too variable for diagnostic purposes. Damadian's initial methods were flawed for practical use, relying on a point-bypoint scan of the entire body and using relaxation rates, which turned out not to be an effective indicator of cancerous tissue. While researching the analytical properties of magnetic resonance, Damadian created the world's first magnetic resonance imaging machine in 1972. The National Science Foundation notes, "The patent included the idea of using NMR to 'scan' the human

Raymond Damadian's "Apparatus and method for detecting cancer in tissue."

In the late 1970's, Peter Mansfield, a physicist and professor at the at the University of Nottingham, England, developed a mathematical technique that would allow scans to take seconds rather than hours and produce clearer images than Lauter bur had. Damadian, along with Larry Mink off and Michael Goldsmith, performed the first MRI body scan of a human being on July 3, 1977 studies which they published in 1977. In 1980 Paul Bottomley joined the GE Research Center in Schenectady NY, and his team ordered the highest field-strength magnet then available a 1.5T system and built the first high-field and overcame problems of coil design, RF penetration and signal-to-noise, to build the first whole-body MRI/MRS scanner. The results translated into the highly successful 1.5T MRI product-line, with over 20,000 systems in use today. Bottomley performed the first localized MRS in human heart and brain. After starting collaboration on heart applications with Robert Weiss at Johns Hopkins, Bottomley returned to the university in 1994, as Russell Morgan Professor and Director of the MR Research Division. Although MRI is most commonly performed at 1.5T, higher fields such as 3T are gaining more popularity because of their increased sensitivity and resolution. In research laboratories, human studies have been performed .

MRI CIRCUIT DIARGRAM

How MRI Works

MRI machines make use of the fact that body tissue contains lots of water, and hence protons (1H nuclei), which get aligned in a large magnetic field. Each water molecule has two hydrogen nuclei or protons. When a person is inside the powerful magnetic field of the scanner, the average magnetic moment of many protons becomes aligned with the direction of the field. A radio frequency current is briefly turned on, producing a varying electromagnetic field. This electromagnetic field has just the right frequency, known as the resonance frequency, to be absorbed and flip the spin of the protons in the magnetic field. After the electromagnetic field is turned off, the spins of the protons return to thermodynamic equilibrium and the bulk magnetization becomes re-aligned with the static magnetic field. During this relaxation, a radio frequency signal (electromagnetic radiation in the RF range) is generated, which can be measured with receiver coils. Information about the origin of the signal in 3D space can be learned by applying additional magnetic fields during the scan. These additional magnetic fields can be used to only generate detectable signal from specific locations in the body (spatial excitation) and or to make magnetization at different spatial locations presses at different frequencies, which enables k-space encoding of spatial information. The 3D images obtained in MRI can be rotated along arbitrary orientations and manipulated by the doctor to be better able to detect tiny changes of structures within the body. These fields, generated by passing electric currents through gradient coils, make the magnetic field strength vary depending on the position within the magnet. Because this makes the frequency of the released radio signal also dependent on its origin in a predictable manner, the distribution of protons in the body can be mathematically recovered from the signal, typically by the use of the inverse Fourier transform. Protons in different tissues return to their equilibrium state at different relaxation rates. Different tissue variables, including spin density, T1 and T2 relaxation times, and flow and spectral shifts can be used to construct images. By changing the settings on the scanner, this effect is used to create contrast between different types of body tissue or between other properties, as info and diffusion MRI. MRI is used to image every part of the body, and is particularly useful for tissues with many hydrogen nuclei and little density contrast, such as the brain, muscle, connective tissue and most tumours.

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TYPES OF MRI

Functional MRI
Detects changes in blood flow or metabolism associated with specific motor or sensory functions or stimuli. Performed by scanning specific areas of the brain/spine while: a) the subject performs a certain motor task or b) exposing the subject to certain external/internal stimuli .Subjects are scanned at rest and then during exercise or exposure to various stimuli .The two conditions are subtracted to reveal areas of brain activation. Areas of activation will have increased levels of blood flow and are therefore detectable.

A Functional MRI SCAN

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REAL TIME MRI

Real-time MRI refers to the continuous monitoring ("filming") of moving objects in real time. While many different strategies have been developed over the past two decades, a recent development reported a real-time MRI technique based on radial Flash and iterative reconstruction that yields a temporal resolution of 20 to 30 milliseconds for images with an in-plane resolution of 1.5 to 2.0 mm. The new method promises to add important information about diseases of the joints and the heart. In many cases MRI examinations may become easier and more comfortable for patient

Real time MRI of a human heart at a resolution of 50 ms

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PRE POLARIZED MRI

In

2001, a research team at Stanford invented a new technique which came to be called "Prepolarized MRI" or PMRI. The team demonstrated that the magnets do not have to be both uniform and strong, rather two magnets can be used together, where one is strong and the other one is uniform. The first magnet in a PMRI scanner is strong, but not uniform. This magnet creates a very strong magnetic field which varies in uniformity by as much as 40%. This is the "prepolarize" component. A second much weaker (only requiring the electric power necessary to run two hairdryers) but far more precise magnet then creates a homogeneous magnetic field. These two magnets can be ordinary copper wound magnets, which greatly lowers the cost of an MRI scanner. Because the magnetic field is "tuned" by the second magnet, a PMRI scan can be obtained immediately adjacent to a metal prosthetic, unlike an MRI scan.

Interventional MRI The lack of harmful effects on the patient and the operator make MRI well-suited for "interventional radiology", where the images produced by a MRI scanner are used to guide minimally invasive procedures. Of course, such procedures must be done without any ferromagnetic instruments. A specialized growing subset of interventional MRI is that of intra operative MRI in which the MRI is used in the surgical process. Some specialized MRI systems have been developed that allow imaging concurrent with the surgical procedure. More typical, however, is that the surgical procedure is temporarily interrupted so that MR images can be acquired to verify the success of the procedure or guide subsequent surgical work.

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MRI SIGN INDICATON MRI SAFE SIGN : The device or implant is completely non-magnetic, non-electrically conductive, and non-RF reactive, eliminating all of the primary potential threats during an MRI procedure.

MR SAFE SIGN

MR-Conditional A device or implant that may contain magnetic, electrically conductive or RF-reactive components that is safe for operations in proximity to the MRI, provided the conditions for safe operation are defined and observed (such as 'tested safe to 1.5 teslas' or 'safe in magnetic fields below 500 gauss in strength').

MR CONDITIONAL SIGN

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MR Unsafe sign MR-Unsafe Nearly self-explanatory, this category is reserved for objects that are significantly ferromagnetic and pose a clear and direct threat to persons and equipment within the magnet room.

MR UNSAFE SIGN

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Applications of MRI MRIs are a relatively new technology to hit the medical world, and have completely revolutionized medical imaging and the diagnosing process as we know it. In-vivo images can be taken of the human body, meaning that internal images can be seen without making any incisions. Completely non-intrusive procedures are used which makes MRI's very effective, but somewhat expensive, for doctors to use. MRIs are administered to patients suffering from the following:

inflammation or infection in an organ degenerative diseases strokes musculoskeletal disorders tumours other irregularities that exist in tissue or organs in their body

High-resolution images of organs or any area of the body can be made without the need for using x-rays because MRIs use radio frequency (RF) light. Since they use RF light, MRIs do not present any known health risks to the patients; however anyone with metal implants could not receive a MRI. If a person's nervous system needed to be studied, an MRI image would be the best imaging method to use, especially if the brain or spinal cord needed to be investigated. Functional MRI's are done to determine which parts of the brain have control over which uses of the human body. These MRIs are critical in determining motor imagery, speech portions of the brain, and diagnosing which parts of the brain may be affected by a tumour. Some operations are deferred because a portion of the brain that is vital (i.e. speech) may be removed, and this is only determined via functional MRIs.

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FUTURE SCOPE
MRI -the future of mind reading

BRAIN SCAN OF MRI

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MRI is a machine used to see your brain and scan it while thinking. It is similar to an x-ray but it not only shows the bone and hard surfaces of the body but also the soft tissue. This astonishing new technology even allows us to observe the brain while it is at work. Light appears in the areas where most activity is resent at that time, which allows a sort of mind reading. Scientists have made experiments of the capability of an MRI. They would place someone inside the machine where they would tell the person to think of an object and later study where the brain lightens up. After knowing how the brain looks like when thinking of a precise object you can kind of mind read what theyre thinking by the pattern in the brain. It was very interesting and exciting to see the computer figure out the objects by analyzing its activity brain patterns. This excellent technology has helped improved the knowledge and understanding of the brain immensely opening the opportunity to study it in its work. This machine still has room for improvement making it capable in the future to be able to read entire thoughts and intentions instead of just objects. It was also discovered that the MRI can tract if you recognize a place that you had visited before. This will later need more protection and restrictions to who can be allow to use such a powerful weapon as mind reading trough the MRI.

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Advantages

The main advantages of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are:

They do not involve exposure to radiation, so they can be safely used in people who may be vulnerable to the effects of radiation. They are particularly useful for showing soft tissue structures, such as ligaments and cartilage, and organs such as the brain, heart and eyes. They can provide information about how the blood moves through certain organs and blood vessels, allowing problems with blood circulation, such as blockages, to be identified.
Disadvantages

The main disadvantages of MRI scans are:

MRI scanners are very expensive. A single scanner can cost over 1 million. This means that the number of scanners a primary care trust (PCT) can afford to fund is limited. Therefore, if your condition is non-urgent, you may have to wait several months to have an MRI scan. The combination of being put in an enclosed space and the loud noises that are made by the magnets can make some people feel claustrophobic while they are having a MRI scan. MRI scanners can be affected by movement, making them unsuitable for investigating problems such as mouth tumours because coughing or swallowing can make the images that are produced less clear.

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MRI OVER VIEW

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses a combination of a large magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the inside of the body. It is important that the patient stay still during the procedure. If a parent is concerned that the child may be unable to remain still for an MRI, medication can be administered to help him or her relax or sleep during the procedure. Parents can discuss this option with the childs doctor when scheduling an MRI. One parent is allowed to stay with the patient during the sedation and MRI procedure.

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REFERENCES

1. Sheil, W. C.. "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan)". MedicineNet.com. Retrieved 27 April 2012. 2. Squire LF, Novelline RA (1997). Squire's fundamentals of radiology (5th ed.). Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-83339-2. 3. Resonance Imaging "Magnetic Resonance Imaging". Websters Online Dictionary. Retrieved 25 April 2012. 4. ^ "Ct scan vs mri: Comparison chart". Diffen. Retrieved 27 April 2012. 5. ^ Shiel, W. C.. "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan)". MedicineNet.com. Retrieved 25 April 2012 6. 7. 8.

http://www.aimglobal.org http://www.ti.com http://www.howstuffworks.com

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