Tools and methods for teaching magnetic resonance concepts and techniques

Teaching of MRI methodology can be challenging for teachers as well as students. To support student learning, two graphical simulators for exploration of basic magnetic resonance principles are here introduced. The first implements a simple compass needle analogy implemented for day one of NMR and MRI education.

After a few minutes of use, any user with minimal experience of magnetism will be able to explain the basic magnetic resonance principle. A second piece of software, the Bloch Simulator, aims much further, as it can be used to demonstrate and explore a wide range of phenomena including RF interactions, relaxation, weighting, echoes, imaging principles and more.

Both simulators run in almost any browser without installation of software, but are also freely available for download. Example uses are documented in a series of short videos available on YouTube.