Week 1: Basics of MRI

This blog post marks the end of my first week as a Cornell BME Summer 2017 Immersion student. I am working with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Hollis Potter, MD. Drs. Matthew Koff, PhD and Sarah Pownder, DVM were very helpful in showing me the extensive MRI facilities and resources at HSS as well as introducing me to the various research projects in the lab.

Much of my time this week was spent learning the basics MR imaging including the underlying physics, pulse sequences, and signal/data processing. I have also been learning about some of the unique techniques used for musculoskeletal imaging such as ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences. UTE sequences enable enhanced imaging and quantification of T2 and T2* values in tissues with very short T2 relaxation times. This is especially useful in tissues like tendon, where a highly organized collagen fiber structure limits T2 values and signal intensity. The HSS MRI Lab has used this and other novel methods to study and improve various clinical conditions and procedures including adverse local tissue reaction, meniscal allograft, total knee arthroplasty, and tendinopathy.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to gaining more exposure to the diverse applications of MRI in orthopedic research and care. Much of the research being done in the MRI Lab and other groups at HSS could be directly applicable to my work in tendon biomechanics and I hope to see firsthand how it might be translated into improving patient care. 

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