Gradient coils

DR NOSHEEN ARSHAD
In MRI the term Gradient refers to an
additional spatially linear variation in
static field strength in any specified
direction.
• Gradients are loops of wire or thin conductive
sheets on a cylindrical shell lying just inside
the bore of an MR scanner. When current is
passed through these coils a secondary
magnetic field is created. This gradient field
slightly distorts the main magnetic field in a
predictable pattern, causing the resonance
frequency of protons to vary in as a function
of position.
• Three sets of gradient coils Gx, Gy and Gz are
used in MRI. They are normally applied for a
short time as a pulse.
• It is these sets of gradients that gives MRI its
three dimensional capability.
• In a standard cylindrical magnet, such as
superconducting system, the direction of the
bore is termed as z axis, the left right direction
is termed as x axis and the top-bottom
direction is termed as y axis.
 Z Axis Gradient
• The z gradient can be
generated through the
use of single pair of
coils with counter
rotating current known
as Maxwell pair.
 Y and x axis gradient
• Gy can be generated by using Golay
configuration comprising four coils on the
surface of cylindrical former with the current
producing a quadrapolar magnetic field.
• Gx can be generated using an identical set of
golay coil rotated through 90 degree.
• The strength of the gradient or how rapidly
the field changes over distance is measured in
milli tesla per meter (mT/m)
Summery
• Gradient coils are used to produce deliberate
variations in the main magnetic field (B0).
There are three sets of gradient coils, one for
each direction. The variation in the magnetic
field permits localization of image slices as
well as phase encoding and frequency
encoding. The set of gradient coils for the z
axis are Helmholtz pairs, and for the x and y
axes, paired saddle coil
Gradient classification according
function
• In MR system gradients are used primarily for
3 main functions.
1. Slice selective gradient
2. Phase encoding gradient
3. Frequency encoding gradient
 Slice selective gradient
• It refers to selective excitation of spins within
an imaging volume in any specified direction.
• So slice selection or selective excitation is the
process whereby MR signal is restricted to a 2
dimensional slab within the patient. The
position, width and orientation of the slice
can be controlled by the operator.
• In selective excitation we apply a specially
designed RF pulse at the same time as a
gradient.
• The presence of the gradient causes the
resonance frequency to vary in the position as
a gradient direction.
• Then we send an RF pulse of narrow
bandwidth.
• If the required frequency is present with the
RF bandwidth resonance will happen and
proton will be excited
• If the required frequency is not present within
the RF bandwidth no resonance will happen.
• The orientation of the slice can be varied by
using a physically different gradient axis.
• By applying Gz we get transeverse slice
• By applying Gy we get coronal slice.
• For the sagittal slices we apply Gx.
• The slice thickness can be adjusted by using
different gradient strength
• A stronger gradient will result in thinner slice.
• A low strength gradient will result in thick
slice.
 How can we select a slice which we want to examine?

• When we put a patient into an MR scanner he/she is in a rather homogeneous

magnetic field. So all the protons in the whole body have the same Larmor
frequency, and will be excited/disturbed by the same RF pulse. To examine a
specific slice only, a second magnetic field is superimposed on the external field
which has different strengths in varying locations.
• The magnetic field is therefore stronger or weaker in some places than in others.
This additional field is called a gradient field, and is produced by the so-called
gradient coils. This gradient field modifies the strength of the original magnetic
field.Magnetic field strength increases for different cross sections from the feet
towards the head.
• Consequently, the protons in the different slices experience different magnetic
fields, and thus have different precession frequencies. So the RF pulses which
disturb the protons in the different slices must have different frequencies as well.
• As gradient fields can be superimposed in any
direction, it is possible to define not only
transversal slices, but all kinds of different
imaging planes without moving the patient.
• The gradient field that enables us to examine
a specific slice is also called slice selecting
gradient.
 select a certain slice thickness?
• We can select a different slice thickness in two ways fig.
• we send in not only one specific frequency (which is not
done in practice) but an RF pulse that has a range of
frequencies; the wider the range of frequencies, the thicker
the slice in which protons will be excited. This has been
illustrated in figure.
• If we use an RF pulse with frequencies from 64 to 65 mHz,
we will get a slice thickness S1 fig. If, however, we only use
frequencies from 64 to 64.5 mHz, the protons in a smaller
slice, S2, will show resonance ..fig.
• if we use the same range of radio frequencies,
the same band width as it is called, slice
thickness can be modified by the slope of the
gradient field, as is illustrated in figure c.
• If we have a steeper gradient field, i.e. one
that has more difference in field strength over
a specific distance, the precession frequencies
will also vary to a larger degree.
• In figure a and c an RF pulse of the same band-
width, containing frequencies between 64 and
65 mHz, is used both times. The slice thickness
in Fig c with the steeper gradient field is,
however, smaller than in a.
 summery
• There are two ways to determine slice thickness. The first is to use an RF pulse that
has not only one specific frequency but a certain range of frequencies,a so-called
bandwidth. If, for example, we send in an RF pulse, which contains frequencies
between 64 and 65 mHz, protons in slice 1 will be influenced by the RF pulse.
• When the RF pulse only contains frequencies between 64 mHz and 64.5 mHz, thus
has a smaller bandwidth, slice 2, which is half as thick as slice 1 will be imaged.
When there is more difference in magnetic field strength between the level of the
feet and the head, i.e. the magnetic gradient is steeper, the resulting slice will be
thinner, even though the RF pulse bandwidth is the same.
• This is illustrated in (c) where the magnetic field strength varies more between the
feet and the head than in (a); the corresponding resonant frequencies are 56 to 72
mHz in (c) vs. 60 to 68 mHz in (a). Using the same RF pulse containing frequencies
from 64 to 65 mHz results in imaging of a thinner slice 3 in (c) than in (a).
Frequency encoded gradient
• Where does the signal come from?
• Now we have selected position and thickness of our slice. But how can we find
out, from what point of our slice a certain signal is coming from - some
information that we must have to construct a picture?
• The trick is similar to the slice selecting gradient which is turned on only during
application of the RF pulse.
• After the RF pulse is sent in, we apply another gradient field. This is
illustrated in figure, which shows the situation of the protons in the slice
selected,precessing all with the same frequency. We now apply another
gradient field which in our example decreases from left to right. So the
precession frequency of the protons will also decrease from left to right (in our
example the precession frequencies are 65, 64 and 63 mHz, respectively).
• The result is that the protons in the different columns emit
their signals with these different frequencies. The gradient
applied is thus also called the frequency encoding gradient.
• However, all protons in one column will still have signals
with the same frequency. As this is not enough spatial
information, we have to do something else. Theoretically,
we could use the same trick with the gradients again. This,
however, causes some practical difficulties (e.g. this may
result in two points at different locations having the same
frequency).
• To determine where in a certain slice a signal comes
from we use a magnetic gradient field. In (a) nine
protons in the same slice are depicted. They precess
in phase with the same frequency after the RF pulse
is sent in.
• A magnetic gradient field is then superimposed on
the external field, which in (b) decreases in strength
from left to right.
• The protons in the three rows now experience
different magnetic fields, and thus give off their
signals with different frequencies (e.g. 65, 64, and
63 mHz). The corresponding magnetic gradient is
called the frequency encoding gradient. We now
can tell from which row a signal comes from, but
still cannot pinpoint the exact place of origin.
Phase encoded gradient
• Look at figure, where we have the protons of one column out of fig,
the 65 mHz column. The protons are in phase after the RF pulse
"whipping". Now we apply a magnetic gradient along this column for a
short time. This causes the protons to speed up their precession
according to the strength of the magnetic field to which they are being
exposed. In the example (fig. b) the increase in speed is less from top
to bottom in the column. When this short gradient is switched off,
all the protons of the column experience the same magnetic field
again, and thus have the same precession frequency. However, there is
an important difference. Formerly the pro- tons (and their signals)
were in phase. Now the protons and their signals still have the same
frequency, but they are out of phase (this can be viewed as if their
magnetic vectors come by the antenna at different times).
• As the gradient which we used causes protons to precess in
different phases, it is called the phase encoding gradient.
• What finally comes out after we have applied all these
gradients is a mixture of different signals. These have
different frequencies, and signals with the same frequency
have different phases, all according to their location. By
means of a mathematical process called Fourier
transformation, a computer can analyze how much signal
of a specific frequency and phase is coming out. As these
signals can be assigned to a certain location in the slice,
we now can reconstruct our image.
• To find out from where in a row with the same frequency a certain signal comes
from, we use an additional gradient.
• In (a) the row with the precession frequency of 65 mHz from figure is depicted.
We now switch on a gradient field, which is stronger at the top than at the
bottom of the row (b) for a very short time. The proton at the top thus
precesses faster than the one in the middle, which in turn precesses faster than
the proton at the bottom.
• This difference in precessing frequency only lasts for a very short time. How-
ever, when the gradient is switched off, all protons experience the same
magnetic field again, thus have the same 65 mHz precession frequency again (c).
However, now we have a little difference among these protons: even though
they precess with the same frequency again, they are a little out of phase, and
consequently give off signals of the same frequency, which, however, are
different in phase, and because of this can be differentiated. The corresponding
gradient is called the phase encoding gradient.