This spring term course is designed for graduate (or advanced undergraduate) students and research scientists with an interest in how nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques can be used to provide information of value to biological scientists and physicians. The course will introduce basic NMR theory, including spectroscopic and relaxation phenomena. Examples of biochemical data obtained using NMR will be summarized, along with other, related experiments. The course will then focus on imaging with NMR, and include discussions of basic cross sectional image reconstruction, image contrast, flow and real time imaging, and microscopy.
Course Requirements
Course requirements.
| ACTIVITIES |
PERCENTAGES |
| Midterm Quiz |
30% |
| Weekly Problem Sets |
60% |
| Class Presentation |
10% |
Reading
Lecture notes, journal articles and book chapters will be handed out in class to supplement the class lectures.
Calendar
Course calendar.
| SES # |
TOPICS |
KEY DATES |
| 1 |
Introductory Remarks, Course Requirements
Introduction to NMR
Classical Model of the NMR Phenomenon
The Bloch Equations |
|
| 2 |
Relaxation Mechanisms and Measurement
Proton Relaxation Enhancement
Effects of Magnetic Susceptibility
Introduction to Pulse Sequences |
|
| 3 |
Review of Rotating Frame
Spin Echos
Ernst Angle
Off-resonance Effects |
Assignment 1 due |
| 4 |
Image Contrast (T1, T2 Weighting)
Basic NMR Spectroscopy
Chemical Shifts, J-coupling
Basic Pulse Sequences in Uncoupled and Coupled Systems |
Assignment 2 due |
| 5 |
Image Encoding
Fourier Transforms and Properties
Image Resolution - Point Spread Function |
|
| 6 |
Review of k-space Formalism
Review of Resolution and Sampling - Nyquist Rate
MR Image Reconstruction
Gradient and RF Waveforms |
|
| 7 |
Errors in Imaging (Ghosting) |
Assignment 3 due
Midterm Quiz |
| 8 |
MRI Hardware Overview |
|
| 9 |
Additional Pulse Sequences
Chemical Shift Imaging and Flow Imaging Techniques
2-D and 3-D CSI
Time of Flight and Phase Contrast Flow Imaging |
|
| 10 |
Guest Lecturer - Van Wedeen, PhD
Diffusion-weighted MR Techniques |
|
| 11 |
Parallel Imaging
MR Encoding Matrix Formalism
Multiple Coil Formalism
SMASH and SENSE |
Assignment 4 due |
| 12 |
Guest Lecturer - Alan Jasanoff, PhD
Molecular Imaging Techniques
Guest Lecturer - Elfar Adalsteinsson, PhD
Advanced Image Reconstruction |
|
| 13 |
Guest Lecturer - Robert Savoy, PhD
Introduction to fMRI and Experiment Design |
Assignment 5 due |
| 14 |
Class Presentations |
Final Project due |