Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a painless way to look inside your body without using X-rays. Instead, it uses a large magnet, radio-waves and a computer to scan your body and produce detailed pictures that cannot be seen on conventional X-rays.  MRI can directly acquire slices in any plane. In addition, MRI is superior when it comes to soft tissue contrast, and there are no known side effects. The ability to view pictures from multiple directions, high tissue contrast, and lack of x-rays make MRI a very powerful imaging tool.  MRI offers a non-invasive way to obtain information that may otherwise not be as easily seen. It can lead to early detection and treatment of medical problems, and has no known side-effects. MRI can provide important information about the brain, spine, joints and internal organs. Here is how it works. Your body is composed of small particles called atoms. Hydrogen atoms, or water, make up 95% of the body. Normally, the hydrogen atoms within your body spin around at random. However, when you are placed inside a strong magnetic field, the hydrogen atoms line up and spin in one direction. When a radiowave is passed trough the body, the hydrogen gives off a signal. The signal with the aid of a computer becomes the source of MRI information.
How do I prepare for a MRI Scan?      What is Open MRI?		What do MRI scans look like?