Orbital imaging: factors determining magnetic resonance imaging appearance.

This article addresses the dependence of the image characteristics in MR imaging of the orbit. Among the variables discussed are signal-to-noise (SNR), field of view (FOV), spatial resolution, and their interdependence. It is further shown how image contrast can be controlled by judicious choice of pulse timing parameters and how contrast depends on the intrinsic tissue MR parameters T1, T2, and proton density.