Most students find that learning the basic physics of MRI is challenging. Even now I notice certain aspects of MRI theory which I thought I understood, but then I find out that my understanding is inadequate. (The latest of which can be read elsewhere on ReviseMRI.com.) A confusion which occurred in my mind when I first learned basic MRI physics was misunderstanding of the spin echo pulse sequence vs. the gradient echo pulse sequence.
Perhaps one way we can help students to understand MRI pulse sequences is to teach gradient echo before we introduce spin echo.
Continue Reading »
At a workshop on teaching and learning in large groups, guru Phil Race suggested (and used) Post It™ note pads as a way to encourage formative assessment when teaching in large groups. In my initial experience, it can work well.
Continue Reading »
In a past interview for research funding (a Fellowship award), I boldly stated
“Statistics makes the research-world go round.”
Whilst my eagerness to impress the interviewers is now embarrassingly obvious to me, I don’t think the statement is all that far from the truth. Here’s one case in point: it is well established that confidence intervals (CIs) communicate more useful information than P values in hypothesis testing.
Continue Reading »
Artificial heart valves are usually safe for MRI, because any torque or attraction forces exerted by the external magnetic field are minimal compared to the force exerted by the beating heart. However, there is an interesting safety issue surrounding the induction of electric current in the artificial heart valve, which might theoretically compromise the function of some heart valves, in rare cases. The issue is the Lenz effect (aka eddy current damping).
Continue Reading »
