MRI in Practice

MRI in Practice continues to be the number one reference book and study guide for MRI instrumentation, principles, pulse sequences, image acquisition and imaging parameters for the registry review examination for MRI offered by the American Registry for Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in the USA.

This latest edition offers in-depth chapters covering all core areas, including: basic principles; image weighting and contrast; spin echo pulse sequences; gradient echo pulse sequences; spatial encoding; k-space; protocol optimization; artefacts; instrumentation; and MRI safety.

    The leading MRI reference book and study guide
    Now with a greater focus on the physics behind MRI
    Offers, for the first time, equations and their explanations and scan tips
    Brand new chapters on MRI equipment, vascular imaging and safety
    Presented in full color, with additional illustrations and high-quality MRI images to aid understanding
    Includes refined, updated and expanded content throughout, along with more learning tips and practical applications than previous editions
    Features a new glossary.

MRI in Practice is an important text for radiographers, technologists, radiology residents, radiologists, and other students and professionals working within imaging, including medical physicists and nurses. 

CONTENTS

Preface to the Fifth Edition         

Acknowledgments

List of Acronyms

Equation symbols

About the Companion Website

Chapter 1 Basic principles         

Introduction     

Atomic structure            

Motion in the atom       

MR active nuclei             

The hydrogen nucleus 

Alignment

Net magnetic vector (NMV)      

Precession and precessional (Larmor) frequency

Precessional phase        

Resonance        

MR signal                           

Pulse timing parameters

Further reading

Chapter 2 Image weighting and contrast             

Introduction     

Image contrast

Relaxation

T1 recovery

T2 decay

Contrast mechanisms   

Relaxation in different tissues  

T1 contrast       

T2 contrast       

Proton density contrast

Weighting         

Other contrast mechanisms

Further reading

Chapter 3 Spin echo pulse sequences  

Introduction     

RF rephasing

Conventional spin echo

Fast or turbo spin echo FSE/TSE)

Inversion recovery (IR)

Short tau inversion recovery (STIR)

Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)

Further Reading

Chapter 4 Gradient echo pulse sequences

Introduction

Variable flip angle

Gradient rephasing

Weighting in gradient echo pulse sequences

Weighting mechanism 1 – extrinsic contrast parameters

Weighting mechanism 2 –  the steady state

Weighing mechanism 3 – residual transverse magnetization

Coherent or rewound gradient echo      

Incoherent or spoiled gradient echo       

Reverse-echo gradient echo      

Balanced gradient echo

Fast gradient echo         

Echo planar imaging (EPI)           

Further reading

Chapter 5 Spatial encoding       

Introduction     

Mechanism of gradients              

Gradient axes

Slice selection  

Frequency encoding     

Phase encoding

Sampling            

Data collection and image formation     

Bringing it all together – pulse sequence timing

Further reading

Chapter 6 k-space

Introduction     

Part 1 – what is k-space?

Part 2 - how are data acquired and how are images created from this data?

Part 3 –some important facts about k-space

Part 4: how do pulse sequences fill k-space?

Part 5: options that fill k-space

Further reading

Chapter 7 Protocol optimization             

Introduction     

Signal to noise ratio (SNR)          

Contrast to noise ratio (CNR)    

Spatial resolution           

Scan time          

Trade-offs         

Protocol development and modification

Further reading

Chapter 8 Artefacts      

Introduction     

Phase mismapping        

Aliasing

Chemical shift artefact 

Out of phase signal cancellation

Magnetic susceptibility artefact

Truncation artefact       

Cross-excitation/cross-talk        

Zipper artefact

Shading artefact             

Moiré artefact 

Magic angle

Equipment faults            

Flow artefacts

Flow-dependent (non-contrast enhanced) angiography

Black-blood imaging

Phase contrast MRA

Further reading

Chapter 9 Instrumentation

Introduction

Magnetism

Scanner configurations

Magnet system

Magnet shielding

Shim system

Gradient system

RF system

Patient transport system

Computer system and graphic user interface

Further reading

Chapter 10 MRI safety 

Introduction (and disclaimer)

Definitions used in MRI safety

Psychological effects

The spatially-varying static field

Electromagnetic (radiofrequency) fields

Time-Varying Gradient Magnetic Fields

Cryogen safety

Cryogen safety

Additional resources

Further reading

Appendix

Glossary             

Index

Catherine Westbrook, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Faculty of Medical Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.

John Talbot, Senior Lecturer in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Research Methodology and Medical Education, Faculty of Medical Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK