MAGNETIC RESONANCE

IMAGING
Image characteristics
By: Dr Syed Noor ul Hassan
 What is contrast?

 signal difference between neighboring regions

Low contrast is seen on MRI images where adjacent
regions have a low-signal difference(black to grey).

An image has contrast if there are areas of high signal

(white on the image), as well as areas of low signal
(dark on the image).
Some areas have an intermediate signal (shades of grey
in-between white and black)
A tissue has a high signal (white) if it has a large
transverse component of magnetization.
If there is a large component of transverse
magnetization, the amplitude of the magnetization
received by the coil is large, and the signal induced in the
coil is also large.
A tissue gives a low signal (black), if it has a
small transverse component of magnetization.

If there is a small component of transverse

magnetization, the amplitude of the
magnetization received by the coil is small, and
the signal induced in the coil is also small.

A tissue gives an intermediate signal (grey), if

it has a medium transverse component of
magnetizatioN.
extrinsic contrast parameters
Those that are controlled by the system operator.
1) Repetition time TR.
(The TR determines how much longitudinal magnetization recovers
between excitation pulses and how much is available to be
flipped into the transverse plane. A
Echo time TE.
The TE determines how much dephasing of transverse
magnetization occurs between the excitation pulse and the echo
Flip angle.
(The size of the flip angle determines how much longitudinal
magnetization is converted into transverse magnetization by the
excitation pulse.)
Turbo-factor or echo train length.
Time from inversion (TI).
‘b’ valueThe b-value is a factor that reflects the strength and timing
of the gradients used to generate diffusion-weighted images
 Turbo-factor or echo train length.
The turbo factor is the number of echoes acquired
after each excitation. This is a measure of the scan time
acceleration, e.g. at turbo factor 3 the scan time is 3
times faster as a SE sequence with comparable
parameters.
Time from inversion (TI).
The time between the 180° inverting pulse and the 90°-
pulse is called the inversion time (TI).
b’ value.
The b-value is a factor that reflects the strength and
timing of the gradients used to generate diffusion-
weighted images.
Intrinsic contrast Parameters.
Those that do not come under the operators control
1) T1 recovery
2) T2 decay
3) proton density
4) flow
5) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC).
 T1 image characteristics

•When an MRI sequence is set to produce a T1-weighted

image, it is the tissues with the short T1 values that produce
the highest magnetization and which appear brightest in the
image.
•A T1-weighted sequence produces T1 contrast mainly by de-
emphasizing the T2 contributions.
•This is normally achieved by using short repetition times TR
(300-600ms) to maximize the difference in longitudinal
relaxation during the return to equilibrium, and a short echo
time TE (10-15ms) to minimize T2 dependency during signal
acquisition.
MRI image appearance
The easiest way to identify T1 weighted
images is to look for fluid filled spaces in the
body (e.g. Cerebrospinal fluid in the brain
ventricles and spinal canal, free fluid in the
abdomen, fluid in the gall bladder and
common bile duct, synovial fluid in joints,
fluid in the urinary tract and urinary bladder,
oedema or any other pathological fluid
collection in the body. Fluids normally
appear dark in a T1 weighted image.
Tissues and their T1 appearance

Muscles- gray
Moving blood : - dark
White matter : - whiter
Gray matter : - gray
Fluids : - dark
Fat : - bright
Air : - dark
Pathological appearance

Pathological processes normally increase

the water content in tissues.
 Due to the added water component this
results in a signal loss on T1 weighted
images and signal increase on T2
weighted images.
 Consequently pathological processes are
usually bright on T2 weighted images and
dark on T1 weighted images.
USE
Useful for pelvic imaging
Useful for abdominal imaging (T1 respiratory gated
scans)
Very useful for brachial and lumbar plexus imaging  
Very useful for anterior neck orbits and face imaging
Very useful for any musculoskeletal imaging
Very useful for extremity imaging
Very useful for brain imaging
Very useful for spine imaging
T1 axial image
?
C Spine t1 image
Plain ?
T1 Image of knee
 Fore arm
plain?
?
?
 T1 fat saturated image
Fat saturation is an MRI technique used to suppress
the signal from normal adipose tissue to reduce
chemical shift artifact, improve visualization of uptake
of contrast material and tissue characterization.
To suppress the fat signal from an MRI sequence, a
special fat suppression module is inserted at the
beginning of a normal MRI sequence.

Techniques
short tau inversion recovery (STIR).
 presaturation with inversion recovery (SPAIR)
MRI image appearance
The easiest way to identify T1 weighted fat
saturated images is to look for adipose tissues in
the body (e.g. subcutaneous fat and fat in bone
marrow).
 Areas contain adipose tissues appear dark on T1
weighted fat saturated images.
All the other characteristics of the T1 weighted
fat saturated images remain the same as the T1
weighted images
Tissues and their T1 fat saturated
appearance

Muscles- gray
Moving blood : - dark
White matter : - whiter
Gray matter : - gray
Fluids : - dark gray
Bone : - dark
Fat : - dark
Air : - dark
 Pathological appearance

Pathologies with adipose tissues content will appear as

dark on T1 weighted fat saturated images (e.g. lipoma).
 Use
Very useful for pituitary imaging
Very useful for spine imaging
Very useful for pelvic imaging
Very useful for anterior neck, orbits and face
imaging
Very useful for any musculoskeletal imaging
Very useful for extremity imaging
T1 post contrast image
MRI image appearance
The easiest way to identify T1 weighted post
gadolinium images is to look for blood vessels
in the body (e.g arteries and veins in the
brain, neck, chest, abdomen, upper limbs and
lower limbs).
Blood vessels and pathologies with high
vascularity appear bright on T1 weighted
post gadolinium images
Tissues and their T1 post gadolinium
appearance

Muscles- gray
Moving blood : - bright
White matter : - whiter
Gray matter : - gray
Fluids : - dark
Bone : - dark
Fat : - bright
Air : - dark
 Pathological appearance

Pathologies with hypervascularization will appear

bright on T1 weighted post gadolinium images (e.g.
tumours like hemangioma, Lymphangioma,
hemangioendothelioma, angiosarcoma,
hemangioblastoma etc.and inflammatory processes
like , meningitis, synovitis, arthritis, osteomyelitis
etc.).
Pathological processes with no vascularity will
remain unenhanced (appear as dark on a T1 weighted
post gadolinium image).
 Use
Very useful for brain and IAMs
Very useful for spine imaging
Useful for pelvic imaging
Useful for brachial and lumbar plexus imaging
Useful for anterior neck orbits and face imaging
Useful for any musculoskeletal imaging
Useful for extremity imaging