The basic unit of information.
Definition: The smallest unit of information in the storage on a computer. Eight bits are grouped together to form one byte, additional start and stop bit.
Larger units are
kilobyte (kB) = 1 000 bytes (computer storage 1024 bytes)
megabyte (MB) = 1 000 kB (computer storage 1024 kB)

Quick Overview

This artifact is uncommon with modern MRI equipment, but possible. It can occur if there are bad memory locations or bad connectors in the parallel data bus of the computer.

This artifact is the result of a hardware failure and must be addressed by a service representative.

Diamagnetism is a form of magnetism that is only exhibited by a substance in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. It is the result of changes in the orbital motion of electrons due to the application of an externally applied magnetic field. Applying a magnetic field causes a momentary electromotive force (a consequence of Faraday's law), which modifies the electronic orbitals of atoms/molecules in a substance in such a way, that the orbitals produce an induced magnetic field, which opposes the applied field (a consequence of Lenz's law). However, the induced magnetic moment is very small in most everyday materials.
Diamagnets are repelled by magnetic fields. However, since diamagnetism is such a weak property its effects are not observable in every-day life.
However, in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for example barium sulfate suspensions lead with its weak negative magnetic susceptibility to a decrease in signal.

See also magnetism, ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and superparamagnetism.

Magnetic forces are fundamental forces that arise due to the movement of electrical charge. Maxwell's equations describe the origin and behavior of the fields that govern these forces. Thus, magnetism is seen whenever electrically charged particles are in motion. This can arise either from movement of electrons in an electric current, resulting in 'electromagnetism', or from the quantum-mechanical orbital motion (there is no orbital motion of electrons around the nucleus like planets around the sun, but there is an 'effective electron velocity') and spin of electrons, resulting in what are known as 'permanent magnets'.
The physical cause of the magnetism of objects, as distinct from electrical currents, is the atomic magnetic dipole. Magnetic dipoles, or magnetic moments, result on the atomic scale from the two kinds of movement of electrons. The first is the orbital motion of the electron around the nucleus this motion can be considered as a current loop, resulting in an orbital dipole magnetic moment along the axis of the nucleus. The second, much stronger, source of electronic magnetic moment is due to a quantum mechanical property called the spin dipole magnetic moment.
Gauss (G) and tesla (T) are units to define the intensity of magnetic fields. One tesla is equivalent to 10 000 gauss.
Typically, the field strength of MRI scanners is between 0.15 T and 3 T.

See also Diamagnetism, Paramagnetism, Superparamagnetism, and Ferromagnetism.

A pacemaker is a device for internal or external battery-operated cardiac pacing to overcome cardiac arrhythmias or heart block. All implanted electronic devices are susceptible to the electromagnetic fields used in magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, the main magnetic field, the gradient field, and the radio frequency (RF) field are potential hazards for cardiac pacemaker patients.
The pacemaker's susceptibility to static field and its critical role in life support have warranted special consideration. The static magnetic field applies force to magnetic materials. This force and torque effects rise linearly with the field strength of the MRI machines. Both, RF fields and pulsed gradients can induce voltages in circuits or on the pacing lead, which will heat up the tissue around e.g. the lead tip, with a potential risk of thermal injury.
Regulations for pacemakers provide that they have to switch to the magnet mode in static magnetic fields above 1.0 mT. In MR imaging, the gradient and RF fields may mimic signals from the heart with inhibition or fast pacing of the heart. In the magnet mode, most of the current pacemakers will pace with a fix pulse rate because they do not accept the heartsignals. However, the state of an implanted pacemaker will be unpredictable inside a strong magnetic field. Transcutaneous controller adjustment of pacing rate is a feature of many units. Some achieve this control using switches activated by the external application of a magnet to open/close the switch. Others use rotation of an external magnet to turn internal controls. The fringe field around the MRI magnet can activate such switches or controls. Such activations are a safety risk.
Areas with fields higher than 0.5 mT (5 Gauss Limit) commonly have restricted access and/or are posted as a safety risk to persons with pacemakers.

A Cardiac pacemaker is because the risks, under normal circumstances an absolute contraindication for MRI procedures.
Nevertheless, with special precaution the risks can be lowered. Reprogramming the pacemaker to an asynchronous mode with fix pacing rate or turning off will reduce the risk of fast pacing or inhibition. Reducing the SAR value reduces the potential MRI risks of heating. For MRI scans of the head and the lower extremities, tissue heating also seems to be a smaller problem. If a transmit receive coil is used to scan the head or the feet, the cardiac pacemaker is outside the sending coil and possible heating is very limited.