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The Pros And Cons Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical exam used to image the body to help screen, diagnose, measure the success of medical treatments, and view the function of some organs. MRI uses a magnetic field, radio waves, and hydrogen nuclei within the human body to produce images. MRI does not use radiation to acquire images as many of the other imaging modalities do. Not using radiation is a benefit of MRI since radiation is cumulative, and there are always concerns of radiation induced cancers if used repeatedly as needed for things such as follow ups. No radiation also makes MRI safer for children and expectant mothers. Other pros of MRI scanning are that it is non-invasive and gives precise imaging results. As with any exam with pros there are also cons. One disadvantage is that because of the strength of the magnet it is very important to screen …show more content…

Since the inception of MRI, it has not only progressed in the research area, but it has made great strides in the clinical areas. An exam that was first used to image the body in 1976 has advanced to now being used to measure brain chemistry and has the abilities to image and examine unborn fetuses. As discussed above MRI has many advantages. One such advantage is that there is no radiation dose to the patient during the exam. The advantages of MRI greatly outweigh the disadvantages of MRI. However, the concerns that MRI is very time consuming and very expensive are still present. With future improvements with MRI algorithms to help reduce scan times and the research of magnetized molecules to make it less expensive MRI will continue to grow and be accessible to more people. With the continuing success and future advancements of MRI scans the number of MRIs ordered and performed every year will continue to grow and in turn will save more patients’

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