A special imaging technique used to image internal stuctures of the body, particularly the soft tissues. An MRI image is often superior to a normal X-ray image.
It uses the influence of a large magnet to polarize hydrogen atoms in the tissues and then monitors the summation of the spinning energies within living cells.
Images are very clear and are particularly good for soft tissue, brain and spinal cord, joints and abdomen. These scans may be used for detecting some cancers or for following their progress.
Acronym: MRI
(11 Nov 1997)