(MRI) Magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive medical imaging technique that uses the interaction between radio frequency pulses, a strong magnetic field and body tissue to obtain images of slices/planes from inside the body. These magnets generate fields from approx. 2000 times up to 30000 times stronger than that of the Earth. The use of nuclear magnetic resonance principles produces extremely detailed pictures of the body tissue without the need for x-ray exposure and gives diagnostic information of various organs.
Measured are mobile hydrogen nuclei (protons are the hydrogen atoms of water, the 'H' in H20), the majority of elements in the body. Only a small part of them contribute to the measured signal, caused by their different alignment in the magnetic field. Protons are capable of absorbing energy if exposed to short radio wave pulses (electromagnetic energy) at their resonance frequency. After the absorption of this energy, the nuclei release this energy so that they return to their initial state of equilibrium.
This transmission of energy by the nuclei as they return to their initial state is what is observed as the MRI signal. The subtle differing characteristic of that signal from different tissues combined with complex mathematical formulas analyzed on modern computers is what enables MRI imaging to distinguish between various organs. Any imaging plane, or slice, can be projected, and then stored or printed.
The measured signal intensity depends jointly on the spin density and the relaxation times (T1 time and T2 time), with their relative importance depending on the particular imaging technique and choice of interpulse times. Any motion such as blood flow, respiration, etc. also affects the image brightness.
Magnetic resonance imaging is particularly sensitive in assessing anatomical structures, organs and soft tissues for the detection and diagnosis of a broad range of pathological conditions. MRI pictures can provide contrast between benign and pathological tissues and may be used to stage cancers as well as to evaluate the response to treatment of malignancies. The need for biopsy or exploratory surgery can be eliminated in some cases, and can result in earlier diagnosis of many diseases.

See also MRI History and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI).

Brain imaging, magnetic resonance imaging of the head or skull, cranial magnetic resonance tomography (MRT), neurological MRI - they describe all the same radiological imaging technique for medical diagnostic.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the human brain includes the anatomic description and the detection of lesions. Special techniques like diffusion weighted imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and spectroscopy provide also information about the function and chemical metabolites of the brain. MRI provides detailed pictures of brain and nerve tissues in multiple planes without obstruction by overlying bones. Brain MRI is the procedure of choice for most brain disorders. It provides clear images of the brainstem and posterior brain, which are difficult to view on a CT scan. It is also useful for the diagnosis of demyelinating disorders (disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) that cause destruction of the myelin sheath of the nerve).
With this noninvasive procedure also the evaluation of blood flow and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is possible. Different MRA methods, also without contrast agents can show a venous or arterial angiogram. MRI can distinguish tumors, inflammatory lesions, and other pathologies from the normal brain anatomy. However, MRI scans are also used instead other methods to avoid the dangers of interventional procedures like angiography (DSA - digital subtraction angiography) as well as of repeated exposure to radiation as required for computed tomography (CT) and other X-ray examinations.
A (birdcage) bird cage coil achieves uniform excitation and reception and is commonly used to study the brain. Usually a brain MRI procedure includes FLAIR, T2 weighted and T1 weighted sequences in two or three planes.

See also Fetal MRI, Fluid Attenuation Inversion Recovery (FLAIR), Perfusion Imaging and High Field MRI.
See also Arterial Spin Labeling.

Cardiovascular MR imaging includes the complete anatomical display of the heart with CINE imaging of all phases of the heartbeat. Ultrafast techniques make breath hold three-dimensional coverage of the heart in different cardiac axes feasible. Cardiac MRI provides reliable anatomical and functional assessment of the heart and evaluation of myocardial viability and coronary artery disease by a noninvasive diagnostic imaging technique.
Cardiovascular MRI offers potential advantages over radioisotopic techniques because it provides superior spatial resolution, does not use ionizing radiation, has no imaging orientations constraints and contrast resolution better than echocardiography. It also offers direct visualization and characterization of atherosclerotic plaques and diseased vessel walls and surrounding tissues in cardiovascular research.
MRI perfusion approaches measure the alteration of regional myocardial magnetic properties after the intravenous injection of contrast agents and assess the extent of injury after a myocardial infarction and the presence of myocardial viability with a technique based on late enhancement. Extracellular MRI contrast agents, like Gd-DTPA, accumulate only in irreversibly damaged myocardium after a time period of at least 10 minutes.
This type of patients may also have an implanted cardiac stent, bypass or a cardiac pacemaker and special caution should be observed on the MRI safety and the contraindications. While a number of coronary stents have been tested and reported to be MRI compatible, coronary stents must be assessed on an individual basis, with the medical team weighing the risks and benefits of the MRI procedure.

Cardiac MRI overview:

Cardiovascular MRI has become one of the most effective noninvasive imaging techniques for almost all groups of heart and vascular disease.

Edward Purcell and Felix Bloch discovered the basic of spectroscopy in 1946 (see MRI History). Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR Spectroscopy or MRS) is an analytical tool, based on nuclei that have a spin (nuclei with an odd number of neutrons and/or protons) like 1H, 13C, 17O, 19F, 31P etc.
Through nuclear magnetic principles as precession, chemical shift, spin spin coupling etc., the analysis of the content, purity, and molecular structure of a sample is possible. The spectrum produced by this process contains a number of peaks; the highs and the positions of these peaks allow the exact analysis. Unknown compounds can be matched against spectral libraries. Even very complex organic compounds as enzymes and proteins can be determined. For the wide uses of NMR spectroscopy (from mineralogy to medicine) there is a variety of different techniques available.
See Spectroscopic Imaging Techniques.

For the wide uses of NMR spectroscopy (from mineralogy to medicine) there is a variety of different spectroscopic imaging techniques available.
A short listing of the most frequent variations: