Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical technology used to scan a living being. It is an evolution of the X-Ray, Ultrasound or Computed Tomography (CT) scan.
Here’s how it works: the hydrogen nuclei in the water molecules of the human body become aligned when placed within the MRI’s strong magnetic field —about a thousand times more powerful than that of a typical fridge magnet.
The body is subjected to pulses of radio waves that cause varying magnetic fields —these drive the protons in the atoms to resonate. This phenomenon—known as nuclear magnetic resonance. Sensors in the MRI equipment measure this resonance, enabling it to reconstruct an image of that slice of the body being scanned. These contain highly detailed photos of the various tissue structures, and can also be assembled into a 3D image for further examination.
MRI machines are used to scan regions of the body such as the head, chest, abdomen, the cardiovascular system for detecting blockages in arteries and veins. Patients with metallic implants cannot use it.
