MR EDU: Program and Course Information

The Center for MR Education is sponsored by:
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine,
Department of Radiology and
The Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences





"I wish I could put this in a bottle and pour it out over and over again!"
--Previous Course Attendee


Course Description

Each course will review basic MR imaging principles including explanations and applications of such parameters as T1, T2, T2*, proton density, TR, TE, TI, flip angle, contrast agents, etc.; will review spin echo, gradient echo, and inversion recovery (including FLAIR and STIR) imaging techniques; and will lead into a number of more complex MR issues, including several hours dedicated to MR angiography, diffusion and perfusion weighted imaging, Propeller MR imaging, and MR spectroscopy.

Target Audience

These courses are designed for radiologists, neurologists, cardiologists, physicists, technologists, industry specialists, and others who seek to understand how MR imaging works and how to clinically apply it.
** The Resident/Fellow course is specifically designed for current Residents and Fellows in training.


Course Objectives

Depending on the course attended, participants should be able to:
  • Discuss gadolinium-based MR contrast agent use, including mechanism of action, distribution, and time versus concentration considerations.
  • Identify advanced MR system imaging capabilities and limitations.
  • Describe the clinical implications of manipulating MR pulse sequence parameters with regard to tissue spatial resolution, scan times, and new pulse sequences (e.g., fast spin echo, inversion recovery (STIR, FLAIR), diffusion weighted imaging, and perfusion weighted imaging).
  • Identify various types of MR angiographic sequences and their specific advantages, limitations, and artifacts.
  • Introduce the concepts underlying magnetic resonance spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging, and demonstrate how these are clinically applied in routine patient care settings.

Course Materials

Participants are not required to purchase any special books. A workbook that contains articles and graphs to be used as a resource during the course will provided.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
** There are no CMEs offered for the Resident/Fellow course.


Faculty Disclosure:

In accordance with the Accrediation Council for Continuing Medical Education requirements on disclosure, information about relationships of presenters with commercial interests (if any) will be included in materials distrbuted at the time of the conference.

Dr. Kanal discloses the following information:

Grant/Research Support: Bracco Diagnostic, Inc. /Berlex
Speakers’ Bureau: General Electric Healthcare/Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.
Consultant: General Electric Healthcare/Bracco Diagnostics, Inc./Medtronic/Medrad/Berlex

For more information contact: Center for Continuing Medical Education