Overview

Abstract

This book is divided into three major sections. The first two sections treat the fundamental principles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): (1) the study of how we obtain tissue contrast, i.e., what makes one tissue appear brighter than another; and (2) the study of how the signals produce an image in space, i.e., what the pattern of these different intensities is. These first two divisions are based on the spin-echo acquisition, which is still the work-horse technique for most MR centers. The third section deals with a number of important miscellaneous topics, which include a study of other techniques, such as fast scans, as well as a consideration of motion and MR angiography (MRA). It is the author’s contention that if the reader thoroughly grasps the first two sections, the topics in section three will fall neatly into place. So let us begin with the first area: how we create tissue contrast in MRI.