Medical Equipment Third Year

RF Transmitter System: In order to activate the nuclei so that they emit a useful
signal, energy must be transmitted into the sample. This is what the transmitter does.
The system consists of an RF transmitter, RF power amplifier and RF transmitting
coils. The RF transmitter consists of an RF crystal oscillator at the Larmor
frequency. The RF voltage is gated with the pulse envelopes from the computer
interface to generate RF pulses that excite the resonance. These pulses are amplified
to levels varying from 100 W to several kW depending on the imaging method and
are fed to the transmitter coil. The higher power levels are necessary for the large
sample volumes encountered in whole body experiments.
The RF coils can be either a single coil serving as both transmitter and receiver or
‫نادماعتم‬ ‫نيوكتلا‬
‫ريخالا‬
two separates coils that are electrically orthogonal. The latter configuration has the
advantage of reduced pulse breakthrough into the receiver during the pulse. In both
cases, all coils generate RF fields orthogonal to the direction of the main magnetic
field. Saddle-and solenoidal-shaped RF coils are typical geometries for the RF coils.
The coils are tuned to the NMR frequency and are usually isolated from the
remainder of the system by enclosure in an RF shielding cage.
For magnetic fields in the range of 0.05 to 2 T used for imaging of the human body,
the resonant frequencies fall in the radio-frequency band. For example, in a field of
1 T, 1H resonates at 42.57 MHz,19F at 40.05 MHz, 31P at 17.24 MHz and 13C at
l0.71 MHz. Usually, the resonance is extremely sharp. Widths in the range of 10 Hz
are typical of biological systems.
Detection System: The function of the detection system (receiver) is to detect the
nuclear magnetization and generate an output signal for processing by the computer.
A block diagram of a typical receiver is shown in Fig. 1.9.

14
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

Fig. 1.9 Block diagram of the NMR detection system

The receiver coil usually surrounds the sample and acts as an antenna to pick up
the fluctuating nuclear magnetization of the sample and converts it to a fluctuating
output voltage V(t).
The RF signals constitute the variable measured in magnetic resonance tomography.
These are extremely weak signals having an amplitude in the nV (nano-Volt) range
thus requiring specially designed RF antennas. The sensitivity of an MR scanner
therefore depends on the quality of its RF receiving antenna. For a given sample
magnetization, static magnetic field strengths and sample volume, the signal-to-
noise-ratio (SNR) of the RF signal at the receiver depends in the following manner
upon the RF-receiving antenna.

15
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

Some of the commonly available RF coils are:

• Body Coils:

– Constructed on cylindrical coils forms with diameter ranging from 50 to 60 cm to

entirely surround the patient’s body.

• Head Coils:

– Designed only for head imaging, with typical diameter of 28 cm.

• Surface coils:

– Orbit/ear coil: flat, planar ring-shaped coil with 10 cm diameter;

– Neck coil: flexible, rectangular shaped surface coil (10 cm \ 20 cm) capable of
‫فيكتلا‬
adaptation to the individual patient anatomy; and
– Spine coil: cylindrical or ring-shaped coil with 15 cm diameter.

• Organ-enclosing coils:

– Breast coil: cylindrical or ring-shaped coil with 15 cm diameter.

– Helmholtz-type coil: a pair of flat ring coils each having 15 cm diameter with

distance between the two coils variable from 12 to 22 cm.

Following the receiver coil is a matching network which couples it to the pre-
amplifier in order tomaximize energy transfer into the amplifier. This network
introduces a phase shift f to the phase of the signal.
The pre-amplifier is a low-noise amplifier which amplifies the signal and feeds it to
a quadrature phase detector.

16
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

The detector accepts the RF NMR signal which consists of a distribution of

frequencies centered around or near the transmitted frequency w and shifts the signal
down in frequency by w. By this process, the distribution of frequencies is
unchanged except that it is now centered about zero.
The detector circuit accepts the inputs, the NMR signal V(t) and a reference signal,
‫عاضي‬
‫اهف‬them, so that the output is the product of the two inputs. The frequency
and multiplies
of the reference signal is the same as that of the irradiating RF pulse. The output of
the phase-sensitive detector consists of the sum of two components, one a narrow
range of frequencies centered at 2𝑤𝑜 , and the other, a narrow range centered at zero.
The low pass filter following the phase-sensitive detector removes all components
except those centered at zero from the signal. It is necessary to convert the complex
(two-channel) signal to two strings of digital numbers by analog-to-digital
converters. The A-D converter output is passed, in serial data form to the computer
for processing.
‫يفيطلا عيزوتلا‬
‫تامولعملل‬
Gradient System for Spatial Coding: Spatial distribution information can be
obtained by using the fact that the resonance frequency depends on the magnetic
‫ةقيرطب‬ ‫ةنيعلا مجح لالخ نم‬
field strength. By varying the field in a known
‫ةفورعم‬manner through the specimen volume,
it is possible to select the region of the specimen from which the information is
‫ساسا‬
derived on the basis of the frequency of the signal. The strength of the signal at each
frequency can be interpreted as the density of the hydrogen nuclei in the plane within
the object where the magnetic field corresponds to that frequency. NMR imaging
methods exploit this property by way of carefully controlled, well-defined gradients
to modulate the NMR signal in a known manner such that the spatial information
can later be decoded and plotted as an image.
Imager System: The imager system includes the computer for image processing,
display system and control console. The timing and control of RF and gradient pulse
17
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

sequences for relaxation time measurements and imaging, in addition to FT image

reconstruction and display necessitate the use of a computer. The computer is the
source of both the voltage waveforms of all gradient pulses and the envelopes of the
RF pulses. A general purpose mini-computer of the type used for a CAT scanner is
adequate for these purposes.
The computer system collects the nuclear magnetic resonant signal after A/D
‫اهنيوكت ةداعا‬
conversion, corrects, re-composes, displays and stores it. High speed data are sent
from the system controller to the computer. An exclusive high-speed computer is
used to reduce the calculating time of these data. Analog-to-digital convertors with
16 bits or higher are used to produce the desired digitized signal data.
A specialized computer such as an array processor which is designed for the rapid
performance of specific algorithms like fast Fourier transformation (FFT), is used to
‫ينمزلا لاجملا تانايب‬
convert the digitized time-domain data to image data. Two-dimensional images are
typically displayed as 256  256 or 512  512-pixel arrays. The images become
available for viewing within about one second after data acquisition. Three-
dimensional imaging requires more computer processing power. The computers
currently used are typically 32-bit machines equipped with up to 4 Mbyte of memory
and backed by an array processor to speed up the Fourier transformation. Data
storage is on high-speed disks.
The reconstructed image data are transmitted to the display console by a high-
capacity image memory disk. As in X-ray CT, the image is displayed on a TV
monitor, either in grey scale or in color. The display console is usually an intelligent
console that can be used as an independent image processing unit in an interactive
system. The screen of the high-resolution monitor can be divided into four parts, if
desired. It is possible to simultaneously display proton density and T1, T2

18
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

distribution image. A multi-format camera is used for making hard copies of the
image.
‫قوفتم ءادا‬
‫يلاعو‬
The desirable features of the software are its superior operating characteristics, high
‫ةروصلا ءانب ةداعا‬ ‫ةلماشلل ةروصلا ةجلاعم‬
speed‫ةعرسب‬
image‫ةيلاع‬reconstruction and the ability to perform comprehensive image
processing. The image reconstruction software is used to re-build an image, register
images, display and position scanned image processing and register patients. The
image display software transfers data registered in the image data file to the display
console for display, sends other image data to the floppy disk or magnetic tape and
also ensures data protection and editing.
The control console comprises the operation section, system control section and the
display section. In the system control section, a microcomputer controls the gradient
magnetic field, the high frequency pulse train (RF pulses) and the timing of A/D
conversion of the signals received.
The display section includes the high-resolution monitor, keyboard, image memory
‫حاتفم‬
‫ليغشتلا‬
and microcomputer for processing the image and operating keys to set the scanning
conditions and to control the patient couch from the operation section, together with
various panel indicators to monitor the system condition.
Contrast Enhancement: As in x-ray imaging, it is possible to artificially enhance
the contrast in NMR systems. Systematic injections of paramagnetic ions and
complexes that act like tiny magnets are effective in the micro-molar to milli-molar
range, significantly decreasing the relaxation times of tissue water. The relaxation
time differences can be accordingly converted into signal intensity differences.
The enhancement of certain tissue processes, such as blood flow, may be done by
manipulating data acquisition parameters rather than by injection of contrast agents.
Varying the time interval between successive data accumulations (the T1 parameter)
will selectively enhance tissues according to the respective values of T1.
19
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

Patient Couch: The patient couch for NMR imaging applications is made of a non-
‫اعزا‬
magnetic material to prevent disturbing
‫ج‬ the uniformity of the magnetic field in the
‫ةطلجل‬
scanning region. The stretcher (top of the couch) is constructed for ‫ةليوط‬
long stroke and
‫مكحتلا ةحول‬
minimum warpage. The top plate is controlled from a control panel for raising or
‫نع مكحتلا‬
‫دعب‬
lowering it, moving back and forth accurately. It can also be driven by remote control
from the controller console and set to the scanning position or can be converted to
automatic or manual feed.
Biological Effect of NMR Imaging
The three aspects of NMR imaging which could cause potential health hazard are:
(i) Heating due to the rf power: it was reported that a temperature increase produced
in the head of NMR imaging would be about 0.3°C. This does not seem likely to
pose a problem.
(ii) Static magnetic field: Although no significant effects of the static field with the
level used in NMR are known, it was mentioned about the possible side effects of
electromagnetic fields. There could be a slight decrease in cognitive skills, mitotic
delay in slime moulds, delayed wound healing and elevated serum triglycerides.
(iii) Electric current induction due to rapid change in magnetic field: It is believed
that oscillating magnetic field gradients may induce electric currents strong enough
to cause ventricular fibrillation. However, no damage due to NMR from exposures
has been reported. It is suggested that fields should not vary at a rate faster than 3
tesla/s.

Advantage of NMR Imaging System

The advantages of the NMR Imaging System are:
‫نيابت‬
‫ريبك‬
(i) The NMR image provides substantial contrast between soft tissues that are nearly
identical in existing techniques. NMR images that display T1andT2 properties of
20
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI
Medical Equipment Third Year

tissue provide tremendous contrasts between various soft tissues, contrasts

approaching 150% are possible in T1 and T2 images, while contrasts of only a few
percent are possible between soft tissues with X-rays.
(ii) Cross-sectional images with any orientation are possible in NMR imaging
systems. ‫نيابتلا تايلا‬ ‫تالواحم‬
‫ةليدبلا‬ ‫ ةدعاو‬possibilities of
(iii) The alternative contrast mechanisms of NMR provide promising
new diagnostics for pathologies that are difficult or impossible with present
techniques.
‫طبارتلاب رثأتت‬
‫يئايميكلا‬bonding and, therefore, offer
(iv) NMR imaging parameters are affected by chemical
‫ريوصتلا‬
potential for physiological
‫يجولويسفلا‬ imaging.
‫نيؤم عاعشا‬
(v) NMR uses no ionizing radiation and has minimal, if any, hazards for operators
of the machines and for patients.
(vi) Unlike CT, NMR imaging requires no moving parts, gantries or sophisticated
crystal detectors. The system scans by superimposing electrically controlled
magnetic fields. Consequently, scans in any pre-determined orientation are possible.
(vii) With the new techniques being developed, NMR permits imaging of entire
three-dimensional volumes simultaneously instead of slice by slice, employed in
‫دحاو نآ يف‬ In other
other imaging systems.

21
Dr. Mais Al-Saffar MRI