MRI, or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical technique that uses magnetic fields to create images of the body. It provides greater contrast than other imaging techniques and is harmless. It is particularly effective in identifying cancer cells and joint problems. The term “nuclear” was removed from the name due to negative connotations.
Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) – also known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – is a medical technique used to take images of different parts of the human body to help with diagnosis. A nuclear magnetic resonance image provides a much greater level of contrast than other imaging techniques such as CT scans. Some of the areas of the human body that can be imaged particularly effectively with an NMRI scan include the brain and the musculoskeletal system. Compared to other imaging techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance is a relatively new technology and has been used since the late 1970s.
Nuclear magnetic resonance machines exploit the fact that the body is mostly made up of water. Water contains two protons which are affected by a magnetic field. The NMRI machine produces a strong magnetic field, which causes the protons to line up in a certain direction. Once the protons are aligned, a radio wave of the right energy is transmitted to “flip” the protons, which they then “flip” back once the radio wave disappears. When the protons fly back they can be detected by the machine, creating a map of the body area.
One of the most effective applications of an NMRI machine is to identify cancer cells from normal tissue. This is often how brain tumors are detected. Another example is to detect problems in a joint such as the knee. An MRI provides much more information than an X-ray in this case as it can visualize the tissue of the joint rather than just the bone structure.
One of the main advantages of an MRI machine over other forms of imaging is that it is harmless. Instead of using high-energy radiation like in X-ray machines, an MRI uses magnetic fields, which are not believed to cause any negative side effects. MRI images also provide much greater contrast between different tissue types, which aids in diagnosis.
Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging systems are based on the development in nuclear magnetic resonance physics. For this reason the first machines were called nuclear magnetic resonance machines. This name, however, was later changed to MRI as the term nuclear was thought to have negative connotations in the public eye. For this reason, most of the medical profession now use an MRI scan rather than an MRI scan. Scientists, however, use nuclear magnetic resonance for machines that use the same techniques but aren’t used for medical purposes.
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