ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a consistent and comprehensible explanation of the principles of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data acquisition and processing. MRI is based on a rather complex physical phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance, which is basically the exchange of energy between elementary particles placed in a strong magnetic field and the irradiating electromagnetic field of a particular frequency. The contemporary MRI systems use interesting high-technology solutions based on long-term physical and technological research and development. The chapter presents a macroscopic approximation where large sets of nuclei are the subject of observation or measurement. To utilize the MR phenomena for imaging, an arrangement must be assembled that provides the necessary magnetic fields and radio frequency excitation, enables response measurement, and also allows spatial localization of the response components. In conventional MR images, the chemical shifts can manifest themselves by undesired localizing artifacts. The contemporary MRI systems use interesting high-technology solutions based on long-term physical and technological research and development.
