Info
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
An imaging investigation using a magnetic field and radio waves. It does not use ionising radiation. Excellent for soft tissues — brain, spine, prostate, liver.
What it means
An imaging investigation that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the organs. It does not use ionising radiation. It is useful for assessing the brain, the spinal cord, the prostate and soft tissues.
In short
An imaging investigation using a magnetic field and radio waves. It does not use ionising radiation. Excellent for soft tissues — brain, spine, prostate, liver.
Where you will see it
Requested for staging, planning radiotherapy or monitoring the response. The report describes the characteristics of any masses and the involvement of the surrounding structures.
What it does not tell you on its own
An MRI shows detailed anatomical structure, but on its own it does not confirm whether a lesion is malignant. It may be completed with a biopsy.
Questions for your doctor
- What does the MRI show in my case?
- Why an MRI and not a CT?
- Is contrast dye (gadolinium) needed?
- Are there changes compared with the previous investigation?
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- CT (computed tomography)
- An imaging investigation carried out with X-rays that produces cross-sectional images of the body. It helps locate and assess the size of the tumor, check for spread to the lymph nodes and plan treatment.
- PET-CT (positron emission tomography)
- A combined investigation that joins metabolic information (PET) with anatomical detail (CT). It shows which cells are very active (consuming a lot of glucose) and helps detect the spread of the disease, identify small nodules and assess the response to treatment.
- Biopsy
- Taking a small sample of tissue or cells from the body to be examined under the microscope. It is the main method of confirming the diagnosis in oncology. The procedure is usually done under local anaesthetic and takes only a short time.
Other terms in “Diagnosis”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.