What is an MRI?
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is the name given to a technique, which builds up pictures of an internal cross-section of the part of the body under investigation.
The large machine is about four feet long and the area of interest is positioned in the centre. It uses a magnetic field and radio waves, together with an advanced computer system. It builds up a series of images, each one showing a thin slice of the area being examined. These images are very detailed. They can show both bones and soft tissues in the body and provide a great deal of information. Using the computer, the ‘slices’ can be also be obtained in any direction.
MR images allow physicians to evaluate parts of the body and certain diseases that may not be assessed adequately with other imaging methods such as x-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT).