Magnetic resonance properties of hydrogen: imaging the posterior fossa

Posterior fossa scans were performed on five healthy volunteers using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machine constructed by Thorn-EMI Ltd. Three different NMR scanning sequences were used. In the first, a type of saturation-recovery technique was used to produce images strongly dependent on the density of hydrogen nuclei, but with some dependence on the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1). In the second, an inversion-recovery technique was used to produce images with a stronger dependence on the spin-lattice relaxation time. In the third, a spin-echo technique was used to obtain images with a dependence on the spin-spin relaxation time (T2). All three types of NMR image were unaffected by bone artifact. Visualization of brain adjacent to the skull base was obtained without loss of detail due to partial-volume effect from bone. The saturation-recovery images highlighted arteries and veins that were clearly visible without the use of contrast agents. The inversion-recovery images showed remarkable gray-white matter differentiation enabling internal structure to be seen within the brainstem and cerebellum. The trigeminal nerve and ganglion were also seen outside the brain. Experience with the spin-echo technique is limited, but the images at the base of the brain show considerable soft-tissue detail. The NMR images of the posterior fossa in this study were comparable in quality to those obtained from a new rotate-rotate x-ray computed tomography machine and were superior in several respects.