The Making of an MRI

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The Making of an
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI Scanning as we
commonly call it is a process where strong
magnetic fields and radio waves are used to
produce detailed images of the inside of a human
body.
2
How MRI Scans Help
MRI Scans provide clear images of the abdomen,
blood vessels, brain, chest, pelvis, tissues,
joints and the spinal cord.
With the help of these images, doctors can
accurately diagnose a patient's medical condition.
Doctors usually recommend getting an MRI Scan to
detect conditions like joint or muscle disorders,
cancer, etc.
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MRI Scans are Commonly Generated for
Brain 25
Head Neck Region 6
Spine 26
Chest Cardiac System 3
Abdomen Pelvis 8
Upper Lower Extremities 20
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Components of an MRI Scanner
Although there are different makes and models of
MRI Scanners available these days, the basic
structure remains the same.
The Magnet is the most important component of the
MRI Scanners. The most commonly used magnet is
the Superconducting Magnet, which is extremely
powerful.
The 3 Gradient Magnets present inside these
machines, with significantly lower strength, are
used to create a variable field that allows
different body parts to be scanned.
The Patient Table slides the patients in and out
of the MRI Scanner. The area of the body that is
to be scanned determines the patient's position.
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A set of Coils helps transmit radio frequency
waves into the patients' bodies. There are
different coils present for different parts of
the body.
An extremely powerful Computer System is used to
gather the data generated during the MRI scanning
process and create images from the collected data.
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The Scanning Process
1
The patient made to lie down and is positioned
on the movable patient table.
2
The coil containing devices are placed around
or close to the area that is to be scanned.
3
If injectable contrast is to be used for the
scans, an IV line is inserted into the patient's
vein.
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4
The patient is then slid inside the MRI Scanner,
into the active magnetic field.
The hydrogen atoms present in the patient's
body align themselves in the direction of
the magnetic field.
5
Radio frequency waves transmitted by the
coils cause protons from some hydrogen cells to
spin at a particular frequency.
6
The computer receives signals from these
protons in the form of mathematical data, which
is then converted into images.
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8
The patient made to lie down and is positioned
on the movable patient table.
9
The coil containing devices are placed around
or close to the area that is to be scanned.
Sources of Reference
http//www.openmrioforlando.com/features.php http
//www.magnetic-resonance.org/ch/21-01.html http
//science.howstuffworks.com/mri1.htm http//www.r
adiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pgbodymr