Basic principle
An MRI scanner temporarily aligns hydrogen nuclei in your tissue using a strong magnetic field. Short radio pulses add energy; when they stop, the nuclei emit a signal picked up by antennas and converted into images.
What MRI is good at
- Brain and spinal cord, cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
- Abdominal and pelvic organs (liver, kidneys, uterus, prostate).
- Multiparametric prostate MRI in cancer pathways.
What MRI is not
MRI is not treatment and not a standalone cancer screen without indication. A radiologist always interprets the images.