Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development

2011 Edition
| Editors: Sam Goldstein, Jack A. Naglieri

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1995

Synonyms

Definition

Magnetic resonance imaging is a form of medical imaging that measures the response of the atomic nuclei of body tissues to high-frequency radio waves when placed in a strong magnetic field, and that produces images of the internal organs.

Description

Magnetic resonance imaging is a medical imaging technique most commonly used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structure and limited function of the body.  In many cases MRI gives different information about structures in the body that can be see with an X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan.  MRI also may show problems that cannot be seen with other imaging methods.  Magnetic resonance imaging provides much greater contrast between the different soft tissues of the body than computed tomography (CT) does, making it especially useful in neurological (brain), musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and oncological (cancer)...

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011