An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the body’s internal structures, especially soft tissues. The magnet aligns hydrogen atoms in the body, and a pulse of radio waves temporarily disrupts this alignment. As the atoms return to their original state, they emit signals that are detected and processed by a computer to form the images doctors use to examine patients. The first MRI machines were developed in the 1970s, build

Magnetic resonance imaging, commonly referred to as MRI, can take pictures of the inside of the body. An estimated 40 million MRIs happen each year in the United States, but most people don’t understand how they work. Scan through our latest How Do You Measure It page to learn more about MRIs: https://www.nist.gov/how-do-you-measure-it/how-does-mri-machine-work | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)