MR Teaching Tool

This lecture introduces a graphical MR teaching tool, MevisMRLab, that helps students understand MRI physics by allowing them to build and simulate their own pulse sequences. The tool features a sequence diagram for manipulating RF pulses and gradients, a 3D block simulator that visualizes magnetization (spin) behavior in a rotating reference frame, and an image simulator that generates MRI images from phantoms based on the designed sequence. Key concepts covered include the effects of RF pulse amplitude and phase on flip angles, how magnetic field gradients imprint spatial phase patterns and enable K-space-based imaging, and the distinction between T2 and T2*. 

Learning objectives
By the end of this lecture, students will be able to:

• Understand how to use building blocks to create, modify, and simulate MRI sequences
• Interpret 3D visualizations and plots of longitudinal and transverse magnetization behavior under various conditions 
• Use the rotating coordinate system to simplify the mathematical description of precession and RF pulses 
• Explain the difference between T2 and T2* relaxation and how field inhomogeneities affect signal loss
• Describe how a refocusing pulse (180°) can recover signal lost due to constant field inhomogeneities