Metrology for MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful and widely-used medical imaging technique that has been around since the early 1980s. MRI has a number of advantages over other medical imaging modalities, including a lack of ionising radiation, and a unique ability to resolve soft tissues. This makes it suitable for vulnerable patients, such as young children or pregnant women, and it makes MRI a key tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of many diseases.

Some types of image go further and actually measure a physical quantity. These are quantitative images and are increasingly finding a role in clinical MRI. The aim of this course is to develop a good fundamental understanding of the principles of metrology as they apply to quantitative MRI (qMRI), and to understand the current state-of-the-art in metrology for qMRI.

This course is aimed at MR physicists and PhD students with an interest in quantitative MRI, especially if they are interested in how measurement science can impact their work. It will also be useful to more experienced MR physicists and researchers looking to improve their knowledge of metrological principles for quantitative MRI.

This course consists of three modules:

Module 1: An introduction to quantitative MRI
Module 2: An introduction to metrology
Module 3: Metrology in quantitative MRI

Learners who successfully complete the course will receive an NPL Certificate of Completion. This CPD course has been approved by IPEM.

Learning Outcomes

After this course, learners will:

Understand the process of MR image formation, including an appreciation of different contrast mechanisms
Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative imaging, including the difference between intensive and extensive quantities
Understand the principles of metrology (uncertainty, confidence, and traceability) as they relate to MRI
Understand the role of phantoms in quantitative MRI, as well as commonly used phantoms and their roles in MRI