Popular science stickers: Differences between 1.5T and 3.0T nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

People who drive know that in the automotive industry, "T" is the unit of "displacement". However, for magnetic resonance imaging in medical imaging equipment, one may not necessarily have knowledge of "1.5T MRI" and "3T MRI

The difference between MRI. You may have heard of these words in news, commercials, or doctors. You may even have seen them online, but you are still unsure about these differences. The following will explain in a practical way what the differences are, so if you need MRI, you will understand which magnet is most suitable for you and why.

The "T" of 1.5T and 3T represents Tesla. Tesla is defined as the unit of measurement used to describe the strength of magnets used in MRI. The magnet is the M in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), which is the basis for obtaining MRI images. The strength of the magnet directly affects the quality of these images, but there are several other factors that determine which magnetic strength is most suitable for the person being imaged and the specific body parts being scanned or imaged.

So how does the strength of the magnet affect the image? When the body is scanned in MRI, the cells inside the body release what we call "signals". The strength of MRI magnets is directly related to the amount of signal received from a person's body (referred to by technicians as NMV

- net magnetization vector). The signals from the body are used to create images. Therefore, the higher the magnetic field intensity, the more signals the MR scanner can capture from the body.

However, more is not always better. Everything has its pros and cons, but before I discuss what these are, it is important to have a basic understanding of the factors that affect the image (beyond the strength of the magnet).

The main factor affecting image quality relative to magnet strength is that not everyone has the same precise body. Most bodies are composed of approximately 60% water, some fat, muscles, and organs, and a person's body composition changes over time.

Additionally, if a doctor surgically inserts anything into the body (such as a joint replacement surgery) or if someone is injured by foreign objects (such as bullets or shrapnel), these items will alter the composition of the body and thus alter its type. When a magnetic field is applied, the body emits a signal. There are two possible factors related to body composition: safety and image artifacts. Due to the strength of the magnetic field, all implants must be allowed to undergo safety testing near the MR scanner. After testing the implant, they will obtain a state. The status of implants is as follows: the status of implants can be divided into safe, unsafe, or conditional. The safety device indicates that the implant can always safely enter any intensity of magnetic field. Unsafe and unsafe means indicate that the implant will never enter the magnetic field. Conditional methods indicate that the implanted device has been tested and is safe only under the specified magnetic field strength, and only under the specific conditions listed by the manufacturer.

This means that some safely enter 1.5T

The implant of the MR scanner may not be safe to enter the 3T scanner. It is important to understand the type of material in the body to determine if it is a safety issue when dealing with foreign objects or shrapnel. Implants and foreign objects can also cause errors in the image, which is commonly referred to as