they do not involve exposure to ionising radiation, so they can be safely used in people who might be particularly vulnerable to the effects of radiation, such as pregnant women and babies,
they are particularly useful for showing soft tissue structures, such as ligaments and cartilage, and organs such as the brain, heart, and eyes, and
they can provide information about how the blood moves through certain organs and blood vessels, allowing problems with blood circulation, such as blockages, to be identified.
The main disadvantages of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are listed below.
MRI scanners are very expensive; a single scanner can cost over a million pounds. This means that the number of scanners that a Primary Care Trust (PCT) can afford to fund is limited. Therefore, if your condition is non-urgent, you may have to wait several months to have a MRI scan.
The combination of being put in an enclosed space and the loud noises that are made by the magnets can make some people feel claustrophobic while they are having a MRI scan.
MRI scanners can be affected by movement, making them unsuitable for investigating problems such as mouth tumours because coughing, or swallowing, can make the images that are produced less clear.
