ES97D/ES3H5 Biomedical Imaging and Medical Devices

Lecture 04 MRI Part 3 - Relaxometry

Module leader Prof Joanna Collingwood, School of Engineering

J.F.Collingwood@warwick.ac.uk
BEFORE VIEWING THIS LECTURE
Please make sure you have:
1. Watched the previous lectures and attempted the quiz questions so that
you’re up to speed with the module.

2. Done the pre-reading for this part of the course:

Essentials of in vivo biomedical imaging Chapter 3 Section 3.2.4 – 3.3.1
e-book available via Library website:
http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2851815
L04 Specific Learning Objectives
1. Understand how a spin echo is generated using RF
pulses

2. Describe the processes that give rise to a free induction

decay signal

3. Understand the differences between T1 and T2

relaxation
Key Equations
Extended from Table 3.1 in MRI at a Glance

∆E • N+ and N– are the number of spins in the high-energy These equations enable
𝑘𝐵 𝑇 and low-energy populations respectively. prediction of the number of
N+/N– = spins in the high and
• The ratio N+/N- is the Boltzmann factor for this system. low-energy populations and
= 0
how this is dependent on
• ΔE is the energy difference between the high-energy temperature.
and low-energy populations in Joules (J).
0= 0 In MRI, it is assumed that there
• T is the temperature of the tissue in Kelvin (K) is thermal equilibrium. In other
= • 𝐵0 is the externally applied magnetic field words, it is assumed that there
(energy of a photon • 𝛾 is the gyromagnetic ratio (e.g. for H = 42.57 MHz T-1) are no significant changes in
with 𝜔=2πf) • 𝜔0 is the precessional frequency determined from the body temperature during
Larmor equation scanning.

• kB is Boltzmann’s constant (1.381×10-23J/K) The photon energy from the

• h is Planck’s constant (h= 6.62607015×10−34 J⋅s) which applied radiofrequency
relates a photon’s energy to its frequency (f) in Hertz. electromagnetic radiation
• ħ = h/2π (“h-bar”, the reduced Planck constant, is excites resonance where the
used to absorb a factor of 2π into the constant to angular frequency 𝜔 of the
make it easier to write expressions in terms of angular photon = the precessional
frequency 𝜔.) frequency 𝜔0 of the hydrogen
nuclei in the applied field 𝐵0 .
90° Pulse

Note: B1 is the oscillating magnetic field from the radiofrequency pulse

Schroder and Faber, In vivo NMR Imaging, in “Methods in Molecular Biology” series, Humana Press, 2011, 10.1007/978-1-61779-219-9
90° Pulse: maximum Free Induction Decay signal

Schroder and Faber, In vivo NMR Imaging, in “Methods in Molecular Biology” series, Humana Press, 2011, 10.1007/978-1-61779-219-9
How is a free induction decay created?

Paul Callaghan
demonstrates
the principle of
free induction
decay for water
using a simple
coil system.

https://youtu.be/MPXbDDRumwM
 Rotating the Net Magnetization Vector (NMV, M0)
with pulses of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation
 RF pulses at the Larmor
frequency deliver energy that 90° RF
displaces the NMV (M0) from B0. pulse

 E.g. a ‘90’ pulse rotates M0

Longitudinal
through an angle of 90 into the

axis
M0
transverse plane. B0
Transverse
plane
 In different tissues (e.g. fat,
180° RF
water) the relaxation back to
pulse
equilibrium (aligned with B0)
occurs at different rates,
providing contrast in the MRI
image
M0
8
Spin-echo

 RF at resonant frequency ‘flips’ our

NMV (M0) out of the z-axis, into
transverse (x,y) plane

 The pulse ensures that the spins

end up ‘in phase’ (coherent)

 Subsequently they de-phase during

the relaxation process…

See: Westbrook, 2005

What does this de-phasing look like?
Free induction decay (FID) process

Dephasing in the transverse (x,y) plane

See: Westbrook, 2005

 Spin echo (SE)

z ½TE TE
x
y

See: Westbrook, 2005

The spin echo experiment
Paul Callaghan
demonstrates
the spin echo
experiment and
explains the 180°
refocussing
pulse.

The example he
gives of runners
spreading out in
time is the
equivalent of the
cars on the race
track idea shown
in our slides.

https://youtu.be/B2HMAJQJ7ok
 Relaxation process
• What happens when the RF pulse stops?
• M0 wants to return to align with B0.
• The nuclei have to lose the energy they gained from the pulse:
relaxation
• The longitudinal component MZ increases (recovery); the transverse
component Mx,y decreases (decay).

Dougherty, 2009
 Bloch equations
• Set of macroscopic equations that are used to calculate the
nuclear magnetization M as a function of time when
relaxation behaviour described by T1 and T2 occurs.

• M = (Mx, My, Mz)

• M(t) = (Mx(t), My(t), Mz(t))

• Equilibrium value of Mz typically written Mz(0) or M0.

• At equilibrium, M has no net x-y component.

T1: longitudinal recovery
• Recovery of MZ
• Spin-lattice relaxation

• Mz(t) = A - B·e -t/T1

• For a 90° pulse applied at equilibrium: Mz(t) = M0(1 - e-t/T1)
• For a 180° pulse applied at equilibrium: Mz(t) = M0(1 - 2·e-t/T1)

• Time for 63% of total energy to be regained in longitudinal plane

via spin-lattice energy transfer (Westbrook, 2005)
• In solution: T1 values for water ~ 1 second up to a few seconds
• In biological materials: T1 is typically hundreds of milliseconds
 T1 relaxation process. Diagram showing the process of T1
relaxation after a 90° RF pulse is applied at equilibrium.

Mz(t) = M0(1 - e-t/T1)

From J. P. Ridgway, “Cardiovascular magnetic resonance physics for clinicians: part I,” J. Cardiovasc.
Magn. Reson., vol. 12, no. 1, p. 71, 2010, reproduced in Tadanki DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14757.40161
T2: Transverse decay
• De-phasing in the x-y plane
• Spin-spin relaxation

• Mxy(t) = A·e -t/T2

• For a 90° pulse applied at equilibrium: Mxy(t) = M0 e-t/T2

• Time for 63% of total energy to be lost in the transverse plane via spin-
spin energy transfer (Westbrook, 2005)
• T2 is always less than or equal to T1. In solution: T2 values are often
similar to T1, ~ 1 second up to a few seconds

• In biological materials: T2 is typically tens to hundreds of milliseconds

 T2* decay

= +
T 2 ∗ T 2 T2 ′
T2 (spin-spin relaxation) plus an
extra cause of de-phasing
which makes it more rapid, T2’
(“T2 prime” which is from local
variations (inhomogeneities) in
the magnetic field.

Westbrook, 2005
 T2 relaxation process. Diagram showing the process of T2
relaxation after a 90° RF pulse is applied at equilibrium.

Mxy(t) = M0 e-t/T2

From J. P. Ridgway, “Cardiovascular magnetic resonance physics for clinicians: part I,” J. Cardiovasc.
Magn. Reson., vol. 12, no. 1, p. 71, 2010, reproduced in Tadanki DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14757.40161
 Relaxation of the transverse Relaxation of the longitudinal
component: T2-weighted contrast component: T1-weighted contrast
T2 relaxation occurs more quickly in fatty T1 relaxation occurs more quickly in fatty
tissue, e.g. in the white matter of the brain, tissue, e.g. in the white matter of the brain,
so appears darker in T2 weighted images so appears brighter in T1 weighted images

20
Copyright ©Radiological Society of North America, 2005 Pooley, R. A. Radiographics 2005;25:1087-1099
WHAT NEXT?
1. Please view the supplementary videos if you have not already done so.

2. Please read Essentials of in vivo biomedical imaging Ch3 Sections 3.2.4 -

3.3.2 and 3.6
E-book available via Library website
http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/Rb2851815

3. In the next lecture, we will start looking at how gradients are applied to
encode the signals so that their spatial origin can be determined, and images
can be created.

END OF LECTURE