Optimal magnetic resonance imaging of the brain.

Quality magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is complex and requires optimization of many technical factors. The most important factors are: magnet field and gradient strengths, coil selection, receiver bandwidth, field of view and image matrix size, number of excitations, slice thickness, image weighting and contrast, imaging planes and the direction of the phase, and frequency gradients. The ability to augment a standard MR study with additional sequences, and the need to ensure the completed study is comprehensive and robust must be balanced against the time the patient spends under anesthesia in the magnet.