HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jacobs, M. A. Articles by Ouwerkerk, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jacobs, M. A. Articles by Ouwerkerk, R. Related Collections Magnetic Resonance Imaging Physics and Basic Science

AAPM/RSNA Physics Tutorials

AAPM/RSNA Physics Tutorials for Residents

MR Imaging: Brief Overview and Emerging Applications¹

¹ From the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science (M.A.J., R.O.) and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology (M.A.J.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Traylor Bldg, Room 217, 712 Rutland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205; the Departments of Radiology and Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa (M.A.J., T.S.I.); and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla (T.S.I.). From the AAPM/RSNA Physics Tutorial at the 2004 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received June 7, 2006; revision requested August 16; final revision received March 9, 2007; accepted March 9. Supported in part by grants 1R01CA100184 (M.A.J.), P50 CA103175 (M.A.J.), and 1R21CA095907-01 (R.O.) from the National Institutes of Health. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to M.A.J. (e-mail: mikej{at}mri.jhu.edu).

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become established as a diagnostic and research tool in many areas of medicine because of its ability to provide excellent soft-tissue delineation in different areas of interest. In addition to T1- and T2-weighted imaging, many specialized MR techniques have been designed to extract metabolic or biophysical information. Diffusion-weighted imaging gives insight into the movement of water molecules in tissue, and diffusion-tensor imaging can reveal fiber orientation in the white matter tracts. Metabolic information about the object of interest can be obtained with spectroscopy of protons, in addition to imaging of other nuclei, such as sodium. Dynamic contrast material–enhanced imaging and recently proton spectroscopy play an important role in oncologic imaging. When these techniques are combined, they can assist the physician in making a diagnosis or monitoring a treatment regimen. One of the major advantages of the different types of MR imaging is the ability of the operator to manipulate image contrast with a variety of selectable parameters that affect the kind and quality of the information provided. The elements used to obtain MR images and the factors that affect formation of an MR image include MR instrumentation, localization of the MR signal, gradients, k-space, and pulse sequences.

© RSNA, 2007