ISMRM23 - Introduction to MRI Physics for Clinicians

ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition • 03-08 June 2023 • Toronto, ON, Canada

Introduction to MRI Physics for Clinicians

Weekend Course

ORGANIZERS: Brian Hargreaves, Khin Tha

Saturday, 03 June 2023

701A

13:00 - 16:50

Moderators: Rebecca Rakow-Penner

Skill Level: Basic

Session Number: WE-16

CME Credit

Session Number: WE-16

Overview
"Introduction to MRI Physics for Clinicians" offers a concise, clear overview of MRI physics for clinicians who may be new to MRI and an excellent refresher to experts in the field. Course instructors will use a combination of diagrams, animations, and image examples to offer intuitive, non-mathematical explanations for different concepts. Beginning with basic MRI physics concepts (hardware, magnetization dynamics, and imaging principles), the lectures will transition to contrast mechanisms (T1, T2, diffusion, perfusion, and more). Speakers will address common pulse sequence concepts (including spin echoes, gradient-echo sequences, echo-planar imaging, and magnetization preparation) and rapid imaging approaches (parallel imaging, compressed sensing, and deep learning). Finally, common image artifacts will be covered with explanations utilizing underlying MRI physics mechanisms, and approaches to minimize or avoid them.

Target Audience
This is a long-standing course at ISMRM designed for MDs who have little or no background in MRI physics. Material is taught with a minimum amount of mathematics or equations but rather with graphical animations and image examples.

Educational Objectives
As a result of attending this course, participants should be able to:
- Describe the basic physics of polarization, precession, excitation, signal reception, and relaxation;
- Identify primary contrast mechanisms, what pulse sequences provide these contrasts, and how to make these sequences faster or more efficient; and
- Recognize common artifacts, and describe their causes and what should be done when these are encountered.

13:00		Spin Gymnastics View Presentation Video Walter Kucharczyk, Donald Plewes Keywords: Physics & Engineering: Physics, Physics & Engineering: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Synopsis: Spin Gymnastics is both an introduction to MRI physics and a summary of its most important concepts. It is intended to "set the table" for a series of subsequent lectures in the Physics for Clinicians Course that build on the basic concepts presented in this lecture. The information is presented in a graphical, animated format to assist in the complex understanding of the spatial and temporal components of the MR imaging process.
14:20		Basic Artifacts: Explaining, Recognizing & Avoiding Them View Presentation Video Penny Gowland Keywords: Image acquisition: Artefacts, Physics & Engineering: Physics, Physics & Engineering: Hardware This talk will explain the source of some common artefacts in MRI assuming and will be aimed at clinicians and technologists but may also provide a useful overview for physicists.It will consider how artefacts can be overcome or corrected post acquisition in some cases, and it will mention how the artefact processes link to useful aspects of MRI where relevant. It will start by considering the most common sources of artefacts in standard MRI and will then go onto consider some more interesting artefacts that are hopefully seen less frequently.
14:50		Break & Meet the Teachers
15:20		Common Mechanisms of Contrast View Presentation Video Hiroyuki Kabasawa Keywords: Education Committee: Clinical MRI This educational lecture will provide an overview of the image contrast mechanism of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This lecture will focus on the common and basics MR image contrast based on magnetization relaxation. This presentation will cover the basics physics of MRI contrast generation, relationship between key acquisition parameters and image contrast, and acquisition parameter optimization for better image contrast. The course will be non-mathematical. The lecture starts with how MRI works, then break it down to contrast mechanism details.
15:50		Sequences: Spin Echo, Gradient Echo, EPI, Magnetization Preparation View Presentation Video John Mugler III Keywords: Image acquisition: Sequences This presentation will first review the basic functional elements of a pulse sequence, and then discuss pulse-sequence types commonly used for clinical MRI, including gradient-echo and spin-echo based techniques, as well as echo-train implementations of both methods – echo planar imaging and fast/turbo spin echo. Magnetization preparation approaches will also be described, such as used for inversion recovery contrast (e.g., fat-signal suppression (“STIR”) or fluid-signal suppression (“FLAIR”)), fat suppression, or spatial presaturation.
16:20		Fast Imaging: Parallel Imaging, Compressed Sensing & More View Presentation Video Maria Altbach Keywords: Image acquisition: Fast imaging The Fast Imaging: Parallel Imaging, Compressed Sensing & More lecture will provide a high-level introduction to fast imaging acquisition techniques, parallel imaging, and reconstruction methods including compressed sensing and the new field of deep learning. Each topic will be described using diagrams and images to illustrate the techniques as well as their strengths and limitations.