Other Medical Applications

MRI imaging is based on the study of an organism's responses when exposed to a variable magnetic field. The patient's body is exposed to a primary magnetic field orienting the magnetic atoms on an A axis. To this primary magnetic field is added a secondary field resulting from a short-wave radio frequency B that changes the orientation of the protons.

When excitation of the radio frequency stops, the protons are again subject to field A and return to their original state by restoring the energy. This is the longitudinal relaxation time, or time T1. The protons then return to their initial phase displacement, emitting a new transversal relaxation time signal, time T2. Antennas capture the radio waves produced and analyze them using powerful calculators that enable the area studied to be reconstructed in cross-section images. In contrast to the scanner, reconstitution can take place initially in any spatial plane whatsoever (axial, frontal or coronal).

Magnetic resonance uses no ionizing radiation whatsoever (X-rays), and to date no one has been able to demonstrate any negative side effects on the organism under normal examination conditions.

New MRI techniques (echo-plane) enable rapid analysis (acquisition time of less than one second per image), which decrease movement artefacts. The angio-MRI enables study of vascular systems. As with the X-ray scanner, it is possible to use contrast products containing gadolinium, a captive ferromagnetic element with a protein injected intravenously

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