Undergraduate - UnitRAD3092 - Magnetic resonance imaging (physics and technology)

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit	Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
Offered	Clayton Second semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Imants Svalbe

Synopsis

The physics of MRI is presented, with particular application to clinical diagnostic imaging. The unit covers the basic physics of magnetic dipoles and magnetic spin resonance, through to a detailed presentation of the basic gradient and spin echo sequences that are used in medical MRI scanners. The factors that determine the contrast and spatial resolution achievable in MRI are discussed. The FID signal sampling and image reconstruction methods are reviewed, as are the SNR and image artifacts that typically occur in MRI. Patient and MRI staff safety issues are presented. An overview of MRI imaging applications, such as spectroscopic and dynamic imaging is presented.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Present a comprehensive and critical description of the complementary nature of MRI relative to other imaging modalities
Enumerate and be able to justify the physical design and operational requirements for a typical clinical MRI system
Understand and explain the imaging parameters that define the contrast sensitivity in MRI
Understand and explain the imaging parameters that define the SNR and spatial resolution of MRI
Reconcile through a critical evaluation the advantages and disadvantages of gradient and spin echo recovery techniques
List in detail and justify the reasons for precautions that are taken in MRI to assure staff and patient safety
Explain use and development of the broader applications of MRI, including spectroscopic, dynamic and functional imaging
Use problem solving skills to define appropriate strategies to meet the needs of clinical imaging through MRI techniques, and to recognize deficiencies in images, such as reconstruction artifacts, and be able to identify the cause of such problems.