Cryogens - Video Lesson

Hey, everyone. Welcome back. Today's lesson is on cryogens and MRI safety. A cryogen is a substance used to produce very low temperatures, typically in the context of scientific and medical applications. Cryogens include gases that can be liquefied and kept at extremely low temperatures, such as liquid nitrogen and liquid helium. In MRI, cryogens like liquid helium are used to cool the MRI magnet windings to extremely low temperatures, allowing them to maintain superconductivity in order to reduce resistance. Nitrogen may also be found in research labs or older machines, supplementing helium because helium is generally more expensive than nitrogen. The magnet system routinely loses small amounts of liquid helium while in use, requiring refills of the cryogens occasionally. Transporting liquid helium requires a specialized container called a helium dewar. It is designed to keep helium at around negative four hundred and fifty two degrees Fahrenheit.