Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the most recent addition to the methods available for displaying organs and systems. The phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was first described in 1946 and found early application as a spectroscopic tool in investigating the properties of matter. But it was in the early 1970s that the technology and computation methods involved in CT scanners was fused with resonance techniques to make available a novel means of imaging biological systems. The recency of its arrival means that the place of MRI in the overall scheme of things in medical imaging has yet to be established — but it seems likely that the method will become a standard diagnostic aid and may even replace some of the established methods. Clear signs are emerging that indicate an enormous potential for anatomical, physiological and pathological studies using MRI. This chapter will outline the principles involved in the imaging process, possible future applications, developments and hazards.