ABSTRACT
The application of diffusion weighted-magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) studies to biologic processes in vivo is a recent development given that it is 50 years since the first description of the effects of diffusion on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal. Although considerable effort has gone into explaining the biology underlying the diffusion effects monitored via NMR, these often remain unappreciated by clinicians and life scientists. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an introduction to the physical principles governing the study of diffusion processes in biology and their application in vivo.
