Applications of MRI

MRIs are a relatively new technology to hit the medical world, and have completely revolutionized medical imaging and the diagnosing process as we know it. In-vivo images can be taken of the human body, meaning that internal images can be seen without making any incisions. Completely non-intrusive procedures are used, which makes MRI's very effective, but somewhat expensive, for doctors to use.

MRIs are administered to patients suffering from the following:

• inflammation or infection in an organ
• degenerative diseases
• strokes
• musculoskeletal disorders
• tumors
• other irregularities that exist in tissue or organs in their body

High-resolution images of organs or any area of the body can be made without the need for using x-rays because MRIs use radio frequency (RF) light. Since they use RF light, MRIs do not present any known health risks to the patients; however anyone with metal implants could not receive a MRI. If a person's nervous system needed to be studied, an MRI image would be the best imaging method to use, especially if the brain or spinal cord needed to be investigated.

Functional MRI's are done to determine which parts of the brain have control over which uses of the human body. These MRIs are critical in determining motor imagery, speech portions of the brain, and diagnosing which parts of the brain may be affected by a tumor. Some operations are deferred because a portion of the brain that is vital (ie. speech) may be removed, and this is only determined via functional MRIs.

• For a detailed tutorial on the procedure of a MRI, see Berlex Imaging.
• The following are several interactive 'slice' animations which demonstrate how MRIs can take pictures in slices.

If you do not see the movies get the shockwave pluggin or the plug-in for flash.