The phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance was demonstrated already in 1946 and has previously resulted in Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry. This year's Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine are rewarded for seminal discoveries making it possible to visualize different structures. These findings provided the basis for the use of magnetic resonance in medical imaging.

A modern MRI unit consists of a very powerful electromagnet. In addition, there are magnetic gradients in three different directions.