Measure of resolution (lp/mm or lp/cm).
A dimension of the Fourier transformation space (k-space representation of an image), having units of inverse distance. Higher values of spatial frequencies correspond to finer detail in the image.

Encoding the distribution of sources of MR signals along a direction in space with different frequencies. In general, it is necessary to acquire a set of signals with a suitable set of different frequencies in order to reconstruct the distribution of the sources along the encoded direction. In the absence of other position encoding, the Fourier transformation of the resulting signal is a one-dimensional projection profile of the object.

The frequency at which the resonance phenomenon occurs. The resonance frequency is given by the Larmor equation for MRI and is determined by the inductance and capacitance for RF circuits. An atom will only absorb external energy if that energy is delivered at precisely it's resonant frequency.
The Larmor equation states that the resonance frequency of a magnetic nucleus (the radio frequency needed to excite a nucleus to the higher spin rate) is directly proportional to the magnetic environment it experiences. Atoms such as hydrogen-1 (1H) and phosporous-31 (31P) resonate at different Larmor radio frequencies because of differences in the magnetic properties of their nuclei. The resonance frequency at 1.5 T for 31P is 25.85 MHz, for 1H, 63.86 MHz.

See also Larmor Frequency.

A coil is a large inductor with a considerable dimension and a defined wavelength, commonly used in configurations for MR imaging. The frequency of the radio frequency coil is defined by the Larmor relationship.
The MRI image quality depends on the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the acquired signal from the patient. Several MR imaging coils are necessary to handle the diversity of applications. Large coils have a large measurement field, but low signal intensity and vice versa (see also coil diameter). The closer the coil to the object, the stronger the signal - the smaller the volume, the higher the SNR. SNR is very important in obtaining clear images of the human body. The shape of the coil depends on the image sampling. The best available homogeneity can be reached by choice of the appropriate coil type and correct coil positioning. Orientation is critical to the sensitivity of the RF coil and therefore the coil should be perpendicular to the static magnetic field.

RF coils can be differentiated by there function into three general categories:
The RF signal is in the range of 10 to 100 MHz. During a typical set of clinical image measurements, the entire frequency spectrum of interest is of the order 10 kHz, which is an extremely narrow band, considering that the center frequency is about 100 MHz. This allows the use of single-frequency matching techniques for coils because their inherent bandwidth always exceeds the image bandwidth. The multi turn solenoid, bird cage coil, single turn solenoid, and saddle coil are typically operated as the transmitter and receiver of RF energy. The surface and phased array coils are typically operated as a receive only coil.

See also the related poll result: '3rd party coils are better than the original manufacturer coils'

A pulse is a rapid change in the amplitude of a RF signal or in some characteristic a RF signal, e.g., phase or frequency, from a baseline value to a higher or lower value, followed by a rapid return to the baseline value. For radio frequencies near the Larmor frequency, it will result in rotation of the macroscopic magnetization vector. The amount of rotation will depend on the strength and duration of the RF pulse; commonly used examples are 90° (p/2) and 180° (p) pulses.
RF pulses are used in the spin preparation phase of a pulse sequence, which prepare the spin system for the ensuing measurements. In many sequences, RF pulses are also applied to the volumes outside the one to be measured. This is the case when spatial presaturation techniques are used to suppress artifacts. Many preparation pulses are required in MR spectroscopy to suppress signal from unwanted spins. The simplest preparation pulse making use of spectroscopic properties is a fat saturation pulse, which specifically irradiates the patient at the fat resonant frequency, so that the magnetization coming from fat protons is tilted into the xy-plane where it is subsequently destroyed by a strong dephasing gradient.
The frequency spectrum of RF pulses is critical as it determines the spatial extension and homogeneity over which the spin magnetization is influenced while a gradient field is applied.