• Question: What does MRI stand for and mean?

    Asked by anon-292567 to Rosie on 26 Apr 2021. This question was also asked by anon-292911.
    • Photo: Rosie Goodburn

      Rosie Goodburn answered on 26 Apr 2021:

      Hi! MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. MRI scanners have a powerful magnet that creates a strong magnetic field.
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      MRI works by detecting how hydrogen atoms in the patient’s body respond to this electromagnetic energy. Once the patient is in the scanner, the hydrogen atoms line up with the scanner’s magnetic field, like how a magnet can pull the needle of a compass.
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      Pulses of radio waves are then applied, which change this alignment. As each pulse ends, the hydrogen atoms return to their previous states emitting a tiny radio signal as they go.

Comments

  • Photo: Ed

    Ed commented on :

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Fun Fact – it used to be called NMRI with the first letter standing for ‘Nuclear’ but that put people off! Actually it’s got nothing to do with radioactivity – its the ‘nucleus’ of the atom that gives the MRI signal.