Exterior
The MRI machine looks like a doughnut from a front view and a long tube from a side view. It is precisely shaped this way to be able to scan a specific area or the whole body from different angles. The patient is placed on a table that can slide in and out of the MRI scanner.
Interior
Magnetic coil
As the picture on the right describes, the outer part of an MRI scanner is the Magnetic Coil. It is the basic component of the scanner. The magnetic field that it can produce are in four categories, low (0.5T), medium (0.5-1.0T), high (1.5T), and ultrahigh (3.0T).
Gradient Coil
The second part of an MRI scanner is the gradient coil. It sends out electrical currents in three different directions, X, Y, and Z. The X magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from left to right. The Y magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from top to bottom. The Z magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from head to toe. Because of all these coils, doctors are able to get a view of a specific place from different angles.
Magnetic coil
As the picture on the right describes, the outer part of an MRI scanner is the Magnetic Coil. It is the basic component of the scanner. The magnetic field that it can produce are in four categories, low (0.5T), medium (0.5-1.0T), high (1.5T), and ultrahigh (3.0T).
Gradient Coil
The second part of an MRI scanner is the gradient coil. It sends out electrical currents in three different directions, X, Y, and Z. The X magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from left to right. The Y magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from top to bottom. The Z magnetic coil sends out electrical currents from head to toe. Because of all these coils, doctors are able to get a view of a specific place from different angles.
Radio Frequency (RF) Transmitter
The last part of an MRI scanner is the RF transmitter. It's main function is to generate RF pulses that make the protons in the body move around. It also receives the pulses that are transmitted from the protons to create the image on the computer.
The last part of an MRI scanner is the RF transmitter. It's main function is to generate RF pulses that make the protons in the body move around. It also receives the pulses that are transmitted from the protons to create the image on the computer.
Computer System
As seen from the diagram above, everything is connected to a host computer. The operator's console allows the operator to control the functions of the scanner. The receiver is connected to the image processor which transports the information to host computer to be turned into a clear understandable image. The main task of the host computer is to provide a visible image of the information that is provided from the MRI scanner. It is also able to record images for storage.
As seen from the diagram above, everything is connected to a host computer. The operator's console allows the operator to control the functions of the scanner. The receiver is connected to the image processor which transports the information to host computer to be turned into a clear understandable image. The main task of the host computer is to provide a visible image of the information that is provided from the MRI scanner. It is also able to record images for storage.