Colored sagittal MRI scan of a normal healthy head and neck. The scans start at the left of the body and move right through it. The eyes are seen as red circles, while the anatomy of the brain and spinal cord is best seen between them. The vertebrae of the neck and back are seen as blue blocks. The brain comprises paired hemispheres overlying the central limbic system. The cerebellum lies below the back of the hemispheres, behind the brainstem, which connects the brain to the spinal cord. | Scie

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