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Components of a magnetic resonance imaging system and their relationship to safety and image quality

  • Minisymposium: Pediatric MRI quality and safety
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Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful diagnostic tool that can be optimized to display a wide range of clinical conditions. An MRI system consists of four major components: a main magnet formed by superconducting coils, gradient coils, radiofrequency (RF) coils, and computer systems. Each component has safety considerations. Unless carefully controlled, the MRI machine’s strong static magnetic field could turn a ferromagnetic object into a harmful projectile or cause vertigo and headache. Switching magnetic fields in the gradients evokes loud noises in the scanner, which can be mitigated by ear protection. Gradients also generate varying magnetic fields that can cause peripheral nerve stimulation and muscle twitching. Magnetic fields produced by RF coils deposit energy in the body and can cause tissue heating (with the potential to cause skin burns). In this review, we provide an overview of the components of a typical clinical MRI scanner and its associated safety issues. We also discuss how the relationship between the scanning parameters can be manipulated to improve image quality while ensuring a safe operational environment for the patients and staff. Understanding the strengths and limitations of these parameters can enable users to choose optimal techniques for image acquisition, apply them in clinical practice, and improve the diagnostic accuracy of an MRI examination.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Suraj D. Serai

  2. Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Suraj D. Serai

  3. Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA

    Mai-Lan Ho

  4. Pediatric Radiology Division, Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Maddy Artunduaga

  5. Children’s Health Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Maddy Artunduaga

  6. Department of Radiology, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA

    Sherwin S. Chan

  7. Department of Radiology, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA

    Sherwin S. Chan

  8. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Govind B. Chavhan

  9. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Govind B. Chavhan

Authors
  1. Suraj D. Serai
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  2. Mai-Lan Ho
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  3. Maddy Artunduaga
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  4. Sherwin S. Chan
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  5. Govind B. Chavhan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suraj D. Serai.

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Conflicts of interest

Sherwin Chan has a research grant and honorarium from Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

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Serai, S.D., Ho, ML., Artunduaga, M. et al. Components of a magnetic resonance imaging system and their relationship to safety and image quality. Pediatr Radiol 51, 716–723 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-020-04894-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-020-04894-9

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