MRI system and method for imaging skin

A method for magnetic resonance imaging of a skin sample which comprises the steps of:

• providing a system having means for creating a static magnetic field, said system being formed with a channel dimensioned to provide access for placement of a human anatomy containing said skin sample within said static magnetic field, said system further including a probe assembly having a tip with a gradient and radio frequency coil mounted at said tip of said probe assembly and a radio frequency antenna mounted on said probe assembly, and means for positioning said tip of said probe assembly adjacent a point in said static magnetic field where ##EQU16## has an absolute value greater than zero;
• inserting said anatomy containing said skin sample through said channel to position said skin sample against said tip of said probe assembly;
• activating said gradient and radio frequency coil to generate spin echos from the skin sample when the skin sample is positioned adjacent said tip;
• receiving said spin echos with said antenna;
• and
• converting said spin echos into an image of the skin sample.

A magnetic resonance system for imaging skin which comprises:

• static magnetic means for creating a static magnetic field, said means being formed with a channel being dimensioned to provide access for placement of an object containing said skin within said static magnetic field adjacent a point in said static magnetic field where ##EQU17## has an absolute value greater than zero;
• variable magnetic means for creating a variable magnetic field in said channel;
• control means for said variable magnetic means to cause atomic nuclei within said skin to alternate between a tilted state and a relaxed state;
• antenna means for gathering echoes produced by said nuclei as said nuclei alternate between said tilted state and said relaxed state;
• and
• processing means for transforming said gathered echoes to produce an image of said skin.