Spring (P. 4) 2014

ECTS credits: 4.5

The aim of the course is to provide the students with a thorough understanding of the underlying physics and principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Topics include nuclear magnetic resonance, image formation, sources of contrast, sources of noise and artifacts, instrumentation and clinical aspects.

Course Objectives

After successful completion of the course the students should be able to

• describe in detail the mechanisms of nuclear magnetic resonance and explain how it can be used to form the basis for the MRI signal.
• explain the imaging process of MRI, from spin excitation to slice selection to phase and frequency encoding.
• design and draw sequence diagrams to achieve a given imaging scheme.
• compute gradient amplitudes and times for a given sampling of k-space.
• describe which basic image artifacts that are associated with MRI and, if possible, how they can be avoided when designing imaging sequences.
• select a basic imaging sequence and compute adequate parameters to achieve a desired contrast between tissues of given material parameters.

Prerequisites

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent. The course is intended for students in the Master program in Medical Imaging, but a limited number students from other programs are welcome too.

Examination

- Passed written exam (3 credits), grading A-F
- Passed home and lab work (1.5 credits), grading P/F

Home and Lab Work

Home work will be given in throughout the course, in the form of simulation and pen-and-paper exercises. The simulator used is called SeeMRI, runs in Matlab (Mac, Windows or Linux) and is especially developed for this course. The latest version can be downloaded from here, but a newer version will likely be released during the course. KTH students can download Matlab from the KTH Program Distribution.

The simulation exercises can, and some of them have to, be done at home. For assistance with the exercises, a computer room has also been reserved, three times during the course.

Course Literature

Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Signal Processing Perspective, Liang, Z.-P. and Lauterbur, P.C.

A limited number of copies of the book are available for loan (1000:- deposit required).

Preliminary Course Schedule

Lecture 1

Introduction. Spins in a magnetic field.
Reading: Ch. 2, 3-3.3.1
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Wednesday, March 26, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FD41

Lecture 2

RF excitation
Reading: Ch. 3.2-3.3
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Thursday, March 27, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FD41

Suggested exercises: 3.16, 3.17

Computer Room

Time: Thursday, April 3, 10.00-12.00
Place: Building near Albanova, room RB33

Lecture 3

Signal detection, free induction decay and spin echoes.
Reading: Ch. 3.4, 4-4.3.1, 4.4
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Friday, April 4, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, FD41

Computer Room

Time: Thursday, April 10, 10.00-12.00
Place: Building near Albanova, room RB33

Lecture 4

Signal localization and k-space sampling
Reading: Ch. 5-5.2.3.2
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Friday, April 11, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FB51

Computer Room

Time: Thursday, April 24, 10.00-12.00
Place: Building near Albanova, room RB33

Lecture 5

Spatial encoding, k-space interpretation and basic imaging
Reading: Ch. 5.3-5.4.2, 8.3-8.3.2
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Friday, April 25, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FB51

Lecture 6

Clinical use of MRI.
Lecturer: Yords Österman
Time: Monday, May 5, 13.15-15.00
Place: TBD

Computer Room

Time: Thursday, May 8, 10.00-12.00
Place: Building near Albanova, room RB33

Lab at Karolinska: MRI-Artifacts

Place: Karolinska Universitetssjuhuset i Huddinge
Date: Thursday, May 8
Time: TBD

Lecture 7

Image contrast. Image artifacts.
Reading: Ch. 7, 8.3.3, 8.3.4
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Friday, May 9, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FD41

Computer Room

Time: Thursday, May 15, 10.00-12.00
Place: Building near Albanova, room RB33

Lecture 8

Course summary. Exercises.
Lecturer: Peter Nillius
Time: Friday, May 16, 10.15-12.00
Place: Albanova, room FD41

Examination

Written examination.
Time: Monday, May 26, 08.00-13.00
Place: Albanova, room FB54

Course Responsible

Peter Nillius
Email: nillius@mi.physics.kth.se