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Why It Is Done
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MRI is used to detect problems of the:
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Head and brain (including the ears). MRI can help detect brain tumors, blood clots, a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel (aneurysm), bleeding in the brain, nerve fiber destruction caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), and other types of brain damage (such as damage caused by a stroke). MRI can also reveal problems of the eyes, the nerves leading from the eyes to the brain (optic nerves), the ears, and the nerves leading from the ears to the brain (auditory nerves). For more information, see the medical test Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Head.
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Chest (including the heart). MRI can be used to look at structures of the heart, such as the valves and coronary blood vessels. It can also detect damage to the heart or lungs (such as from tumors).
Blood vessels. The use of MRI to look at blood vessels and the flow of blood through them is called magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). It can help detect problems of the arteries and veins, such as a bulge in the wall of an artery (aneurysm), blockage of a blood vessel (by fatty deposits or a blood clot), or a torn inner lining of a blood vessel (dissection). For more information, see the medical test Magnetic Resonance Angiography.
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Abdomen. MRI can detect problems of the organs and structures in the abdomen, such as tumors, bleeding, infection, and blockage. Malformations in structures, such as in the ureters, may also be detected by MRI.
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Bones and joints. MRI can help detect some problems of the bones, joints, and soft tissues of a joint (such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons). Conditions that can be evaluated include arthritis, problems with the joint in the jaw (temporomandibular joint), bone marrow disorders, bone tumors, cartilage tears, worn-out cartilage, torn ligaments, or infection. MRI may also help diagnosis a bone fracture when X-ray results are inconclusive. MRI is done more commonly than other tests (such as arthrography) to evaluate certain bone and joint problems.
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Spine. MRI can be used to help diagnose conditions such as spinal stenosis, disc bulges, and spinal tumors. See Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Spine test. |
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