Inside an MRI scanner
When doctors need the highest quality images possible they turn to MRI scanners, but how do they work?
Planning from the detail
The detail provided by MRI scanners enables doctors of all specialties to plan a patient’s treatment. When footballers damage their knees, an MRI scan will tell if the ligaments are ruptured. Knee surgeons can then reconstruct the damage, often arthroscopically via keyhole incisions. MRI scans are used to characterise a variety of tumours, such as those of the rectum - the lowest part of the colon - and within the brain. MRI scans give enough detail to determine the size and stage of the tumour. This helps specialist surgeons plan whether the tumour is resectable, and also how to perform the operation.