Abstract
The primary origin of the MR signal is from water and fat within the patient’s tissue; specifically, it is from the hydrogen nuclei (consisting of a single proton) contained within free water and lipid molecules (Fig.3.1). Hydrogen is one of a number of elements whose nuclei exhibit magnetic resonance properties, but the high intrinsic sensitivity and natural abundance in the form of water and lipid molecules makes it particularly favorable for imaging. Other nuclei of potential interest for cardiac applications in the future may include 31P, 23Na, and 13C, but their sensitivity for imaging is low as they are normally present in the body only in trace amounts.
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© 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited
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Plein, S., Greenwood, J.P., Ridgway, J.P. (2010). Protons and Spins: The Origin of the MRI Signal. In: Cardiovascular MR Manual. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-362-6_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-362-6_3
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