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Magnetic resonance imaging

Consultant Neuroradiologist, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK; Andrew.Farrall@ed.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is one of the few routinely tangible manifestations of quantum theory—fortunately it can be understood without understanding quantum theory. In fact, given the space confines granted this article, I will ignore quantum theory completely, provided you are willing to make some assumptions and leaps of faith that would bring physicists to their knees, weeping.

MR imaging terminology is filled with seemingly impenetrable acronyms like FLAIR and STIR; phrases like "T1-weighted" and "T2-weighted" are bandied about; and "gradient echo" rather than "spin echo" sequences may be applied to patients. This article will provide a much simplified and limited discussion of the principles underlying these and other common MR terms.

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Magnets
The main MR unit magnetic field is typically 1.5 Tesla strong (about 30,000 times the Earth’s magnetic field) in clinical settings. It is usually generated by an electric current continuously circulating through a superconductor (cooled with liquid helium). . . . [Full text of this article]