EXAMINATION

BRAIN / HEAD

A head MRI can often find abnormalities such as brain aneurysms, stroke, tumors of the brain, as well as tumors or inflammation of the spine. MRI scans can show the strands of abnormal tissue that occur if someone has multiple sclerosis. They often make it is possible to see changes occurring when there is bleeding in the brain, or find out if the brain tissue has suffered lack of oxygen after a stroke.

CHEST

Can look at the heart, the heart valves, and coronary blood vessels. It can show if the heart or lungs are damaged. An MRI of the chest may also be used to look for breast or lung cancer. These can also be ordered after a mammogram  exam has been given to see areas of the breast tissue in more detail.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY (MRA)

MRA or magnetic resonance angiography is a type of magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan. MRI scans are used to look at blood vessels, and the flow of blood through them is called magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). MRA scans can find problems of the arteries and veins, such as an aneurysm, a blocked blood vessel, or the torn lining of a blood vessel (dissection). Sometimes contrast material is used to see the blood vessels more clearly. Like an MRI, magnetic resonance angiograms (MRA) use a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of blood vessels inside the body.

ABDOMEN AND PELVIS

Abdomen and pelvis MRI scans can find problems in the organs and structures in the belly, such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, and bladder. They can be used to find tumors, bleeding, infection, and blockage. In women, MRI scans can look at the uterus and ovaries. In men, they can look at the prostate.

BONE AND JOINTS

Bone and joint MRIs can check for problems such as arthritis, problems with the temporomandibular joint, bone marrow problems, bone tumors, cartilage problems, torn ligaments or tendons, or infection. These MRI scans may also be used to tell if a bone is broken when X-ray results are not clear. MRI scans are done more commonly than other tests to check for some bone and joint problems.

SPINE

A Spine MRI can check the discs and nerves of the spine for conditions such as spinal stenosis, disc bulges,  and spinal tumors.