What is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

MRI is a type of magnetic resonance imaging examination. This examination emits relatively little radiation to the body and will not cause any harm. Moreover, the amount of information examined is relatively large, with many parameters, and the images presented are multi-faceted. It can provide very clear images of the brain and bones, allowing doctors to more accurately determine what disease a patient has. Learn more about what MRI is?

Magnetic resonance imaging, also known as nuclear magnetic resonance examination, has completely gotten rid of the damage of ionizing radiation to the human body, and has outstanding characteristics such as multiple parameters, large amount of information, multi-directional imaging, and high resolution of soft tissue. Since its advent, it has attracted the attention of scholars from all walks of life. Whether it is the improvement of equipment, the update and upgrade of software, or the research on the diagnostic function of organs in various parts of the body, it has developed quite rapidly. It is now mature and is widely used in the diagnosis of clinical diseases. It has become an indispensable examination method for some lesions. Let’s find out together below.

1. Principle

It is to place the human body in a special magnetic field and use radio frequency pulses to stimulate the hydrogen nuclei in the human body, causing the hydrogen nuclei to resonate and absorb energy. After the radio frequency pulse is stopped, the hydrogen nuclei emit radio signals at a specific frequency and release the absorbed energy, which is received by receivers outside the body and processed by a computer to obtain an image. This is called magnetic resonance imaging.

2. Application

1. Brain lesions: cerebrovascular disease, intracranial tumors, inflammatory lesions in the brain, craniocerebral trauma, congenital cranial malformations, degenerative brain diseases and white matter lesions, nasal and orbital lesions.

2. Spine and spinal cord lesions: syringomyelia, spinal cord injury, spinal cord tumors, etc.

3. Neck: lymph node lesions, laryngeal lesions, thyroid tumors, etc.

4. Chest: mediastinal and hilar masses, thymic lesions, late-stage lung cancer, pleural lesions, etc.

5. Abdominal area: liver cyst, cirrhosis, liver tumor, cholecystitis, etc.

6. Pelvic cavity: uterine and ovarian tumors, prostate hypertrophy, prostate tumors and spermatic cord lesions, etc.

7. Musculoskeletal system: bone trauma, tumors, knee joint and meniscus injuries, etc.

3. Notes

1. People who have magnetic substances in their bodies, such as pacemakers, artificial valves, or metal foreign objects remaining near important organs, cannot undergo this examination. However, people whose implants are confirmed to be non-magnetic by the surgeon can undergo MRI examination.

2. Inform the technical staff of the following situations: whether there is any surgical history; whether there are any metal or magnetic materials implanted in the body, including metal IUDs, etc.; whether there are any dentures, electronic ears, artificial eyes, etc.; whether there are any drug allergies; whether any metal foreign objects have been splashed into the body.

3. Do not wear underwear with metal materials. Patients who need to have their head and neck examined should wash their hair the day before the examination and do not use any hair care products.

4. Before the examination, you need to take off all clothes except underwear and change into special clothes for examination in the MRI room. Remove any metal accessories you are wearing such as necklaces, earrings, watches and rings. Remove facial makeup and items such as dentures, artificial eyes, and glasses.

5. Before the examination, you must provide the doctor with your entire medical history, examination data, and all X-rays, CT scans, previous MRI scans, etc.

6. For abdominal examination (liver, spleen, kidney, pancreas, bile duct, ureter, etc.), the examinee should fast for 4 hours and inject one syringe of 654-2 before the examination.

7. Patients undergoing magnetic resonance urography (MRU) should take 20 mg of furosemide orally before the examination.

8. Be mentally prepared for an MRI scan. Don't be impatient or afraid. Follow the doctor's instructions and cooperate patiently.