Training activity information
Details
For all basic MR pulse sequences, investigate experimentally the effects of the key user-controllable parameters on the resulting image quality, acquisition time contrast, coverage, resolution, and SNR
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Basic pulse sequences (spin echo, fast spin-echo, gradient echo varieties)
- Inversion and other preparation modules
- Principle imaging parameters: TE, TR, TI, flip angle, readout bandwidth, FOV, resolution, slice thickness etc
- Spatial and fat suppression methods
- Respiratory and cardiac gating triggering
- Safety screening and ethics/consent if scanning human subjects
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- Consider specific insights you hope to gain regarding the practical impact of adjusting MR scanning parameters.
- Think about your current understanding of the relationship between MR physics and image characteristics.
- Anticipate learning how to optimise MR protocols for specific clinical needs.
- Consider how to document and present the findings of your experimental investigations.
- Discuss the specific basic MR pulse sequences to be investigated and the available MR system with your training officer.
- Review the principles of MR image formation and the role of key parameters (e.g., TR, TE, flip angle, matrix size, bandwidth).
- Familiarise yourself with the MR system’s user interface and parameter adjustment options.
- Plan your experimental approach, including the parameters to vary and the methods for assessing the resulting images.
- Reflect on your current knowledge of MR physics and practical scanning techniques.
In action
- Pay attention to your actions. How are you approaching the manipulation of parameters and observing their effects? Why are you doing it this way?
- What decisions are you making as you choose parameter values and assess the resulting images?
- What aspects of understanding the relationship between MR parameters and image characteristics feel intuitive, and what requires more conscious effort?
- How effective are your actions in demonstrating the effects of parameter changes on image quality, acquisition time, contrast, coverage, resolution, and SNR?
- What challenges are you facing in isolating the effects of individual parameters or understanding complex interactions?
- What can you learn about the practical application of MR physics as it unfolds?
- How does this activity connect to your theoretical knowledge of MR pulse sequences and image formation?
- Are there alternative approaches you could be considering for investigating the effects of the parameters?
- What support or guidance might you need in this moment to understand unexpected results or optimise parameter settings?
- Are you systematically varying the parameters and carefully documenting the observed changes?
On action
- How did changes in specific user-controllable parameters affect the image quality (e.g., sharpness, clarity)?
- What impact did parameter adjustments have on acquisition time?
- How were contrast, coverage, resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) influenced by the parameters you manipulated?
- What did you learn about the fundamental principles governing the relationship between MRI parameters and image characteristics?
- How did this experimental investigation enhance your understanding of the trade-offs involved in MRI scanning (e.g., speed vs. resolution)?
- In what ways did your reflection-in-action (during the activity) influence how the activity unfolded?
- How will this practical understanding of parameter effects inform your approach to MRI protocol selection and optimisation in the future?
- What areas of MRI physics or pulse sequence design would you like to explore further?
- What support or resources might you need to further develop your practical MRI skills?
Beyond action
- Reflect on the experiments you conducted with different MRI parameters. How well do you remember the effects of these changes on image characteristics?
- Have you encountered situations in clinical practice where you needed to adjust these parameters to optimise image quality or acquisition time? How did your experimental findings inform your decisions?
- Consider if your understanding of the underlying physics of MRI has deepened, and how this new knowledge relates to your experimental observations.
- How has this hands-on investigation enhanced your ability to acquire MR images and apply appropriate user-controllable parameters?
- Has your understanding of the trade-offs between different image characteristics (e.g., resolution vs. SNR) improved due to this activity?
- How will a thorough understanding of the relationship between MRI parameters and image quality be valuable in future roles involving protocol development or troubleshooting image artefacts?
- What further investigations into more advanced MRI techniques or the impact of specific parameters in different clinical scenarios would you like to pursue?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 4 |
Outcome
Acquire MR and ultrasound images and apply appropriate user-controllable parameters. |