1. How they work and what they are used for By Chris Roberts MRI Scans

2. Unlike standard x-ray examinations and CT scans, MRI does not work using ionized radiation. Instead, while in the magnet, radio waves change the direction of the axes of spinning protons, from the nuclei of hydrogen atoms. The magnetic field is created by passing an electric current through wire coils in most MRI units. Other coils, located in the machine and sometimes are placed around the part of the body being imaged, send and receive radio waves, producing signals that are detected by the coils. A computer then processes the signals and create a series of images, each one showing a thin slice of the body. The images can then be studied from different angles by the radiologist.

3. What an MRI machine looks like:

4. What MRIs are used for: 0 organs of the chest and abdomen—including the heart, liver, biliary tract, kidneys, spleen, bowel, pancreas and adrenal glands. 0 pelvic organs including the reproductive organs in the male (prostate and testicles) and the female (uterus, cervix and ovaries). 0 blood vessels (MR Angiography). 0 breasts

5. Preparing for the procedure 0 You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your exam. You may be given a gown to wear during the procedure. 0 Metal objects must be removed before an MRI procedure because of the magnetism involved.

6. Bibliography http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bod www.google.com.au/search/mri-CTscan/info www.health.org/mri/info http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyc THE END By Chris Roberts