ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Diagnostic modalities, including computed tomography (CT), scintigraphic, or nuclear medicine (SPECT, single photon computed emission tomography and PET, positron emission tomography), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US), are routinely used to investigate the architecture and physiological functions of the human body. The relatively low resolution of PET/SPECT requires that these methods be combined with CT scans for interpretation, and there is concern about the long-term effects of exposure to ionizing radiation (1). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a noninvasive technique, is widely available, highly translatable, and can provide high contrast, especially for the study of soft tissue. The technique is based on the relaxation properties of water protons, the most abundant nuclei in the human body.
