Methods

The nuclear spin tomography (nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR or magnetic resonance tomography, MRT) visualises the structures of the human body by recording the electrical field that is created by stimulating the atomic nuclei in the tissues with a strong magnetic field. The patient is laid into a solenoid, which simultaneously fulfils the function of detector by recording the magnetic field arising from magnetic stimulation and digitalising it into a computer image. The signals are picked up by the hydrogen nucleus, which comprises a single proton and is strongly influenced by the magnetic field. Hydrogen-rich, and therefore extremely hydrous, tissue has high signal intensity; tissue with a lower proportion of hydrogen nuclei (e.g. bones) has low signal intensity. The nuclear spin tomography therefore not only provides a morphological image, but also gives insight into tissue chemistry.