Self Instructional Manual for Cancer Registrars - SEER - National ...

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has rapidly become a powerful diagnostic tool--the diagnostic
imaging method of choice in many clinical situations. It is based on magnetization of the various
biological tissues. It does not use any ionizing radiation (such as x-rays) and is capable of direct
imaging in any plane without reformatting. It can take multiple slices simultaneously. It can produce
cross sections of the brain, spinal cord, heart, lungs, abdomen and blood vessels. In some instances
it can chemically analyze body tissues by recording the behavior of atomic nuclei in living cells.
NMR Chemical-Shift Imaging (or Spectroscopic Imaging)
NMR chemical-shift imaging literally adds a dimension to the potential clinical utility of Magnetic
Resonance. Not only images, but chemical analysis of body tissues is possible through the use of
magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
On the following pages are two examples of an MRI report. Abstract what you think is pertinent
and then compare with suggested abstraction on page 93.
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