Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment is one of the most precious systems in existence for examinations. In 1971, the American physician Raymond Damadian, a scientist and professor at the Downstate Medical Center in New York, even stated that tumors and normal tissue could be distinguished using magnetic resonance imaging. It was a year later, in 1972, that the world’s first MRI imaging machine was created.
What is MRI?
It is a test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create images of the body, being able to obtain images in different planes or sections (coronal, axial and sagittal). In some patients, it is necessary to use a contrast medium administered intravenously to be able to see certain areas more clearly.
What are the salient features of MRI?
- Do not use ionizing radiation (more harmful to health) but magnetic fields.
- It has excellent contrast resolution of tissues and allows the evaluation of very small structures that are not visible with other types of studies.
- Provides information on metabolism and tissue composition.
- Functional MRI measures and reconstructs brain activity in an image, to understand how the brain works.
- There are no known adverse health effects at the moment.
How is the diagnosis made with this test?
The use of magnetic resonance equipment allows to determine pathologies of all kinds, such as neurological, tumors, congenital anomalies, joint injuries (allows to observe the cartilage in the joints), infectious and metabolic processes.
The evaluation of the brain explains the development of certain degenerative processes and other specific diseases of the brain. Ultra MRI images provide detailed views of an area of the brain implicated in Parkinson’s disease, allowing early detection of this disease.
Therefore, it can be said that the importance of magnetic resonance imaging lies in the fact that it helps to establish more effective therapies or treatments thanks to the precision of the images they offer.
Related Notes:
REVEALED! They discover how COVID-19 can cause long-term pain
Does your medical specialty match your zodiac sign?
5 medical innovations that seem like science fiction