Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan is a diagnostic scan used for a medical imaging technique. It uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of any part of the body from any angle. MRI does not use X-rays.

MRI is a painless procedure, non-invasive, powerful, and sensitive diagnostic tool, and it does not have any known side or after-effects. It is used to diagnose and evaluate various medical conditions that affect soft tissues.

1 Why do you need Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?

Why do you need Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?

An MRI scan provides images of soft tissue of the body such as the heart, lungs, liver, and other organs that do not show up clearly using X-ray examinations. It can help your doctor evaluate the structure and the function of many of your organs.

Your doctor might recommend an MRI scan to diagnose and evaluate brain aneurysms or brain tumours. It provides a provisional diagnosis as to what the brain lesion may be. If you have suffered a stroke, an MRI scan can determine the location of the blockage or bleeding in the brain that has caused the stroke. It also provides a diagnostic test to review the structural causes of epilepsy.

An MRI scanning provides a safer and non-invasive alternative to X-ray angiography for the diagnosis of diseases of the heart, brain, and spinal cord. Injuries to soft tissues, joints, and the spine can be detected and evaluated using MRI scans.

Modern MRI scanners also aid in planning and preparing certain surgeries including awake craniotomy (brain surgery to remove brain lesions) and deep brain stimulation surgery.

2 Where is this treatment available?

Where is this treatment available?

The skilled team of specialists and staff at Pantai Hospital is committed to placing your needs at the heart of all we do. Take your first step towards better health today, and experience high-quality, customised healthcare at your nearest Pantai Hospital.

3 How does an MRI scan work?

How does an MRI scan work?

The process of conducting MRI scans involves the following steps:

You will be asked to lie down on a specialised table that slides into a cylindrical chamber. This chamber is enveloped by a magnetic field.
A radiofrequency pulse is emitted into your body. This pulse prompts the hydrogen atoms within your body to align themselves with the prevailing magnetic field.
After the radiofrequency pulse is switched off, the aligned hydrogen atoms return to their original state of equilibrium. In this process, they release energy signals.
These signals are then meticulously processed by the MRI scanner to construct detailed images of the internal structures within your body.

Different tissues in the body respond distinctively to the magnetic field and radiofrequency pulse. It helps to highlight differences between tissues and enables medical professionals to clearly visualise various structures within the human body.