Scanner Components

New developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are being achieved in two fields: methodological and technological innovations. This chapter will focus on the technological aspects of scanners, explain concepts, and give hints on how to deal with hardware-related issues. First, magnets used in MRI and gradient units will be introduced. Second, the radio frequency (rf) hardware will be described and explained. It has an often underestimated impact on imaging quality and can be improved by custom-built devices if one knows how to do it.