Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Glossary of Terms

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Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness, as when an anesthetic is administered before sur...

Aneurysm: A localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, a vein, or the heart. At the poi...

Angiography: A procedure performed to view blood vessels after injecting them with a radio...

Ankle: The ankle joint is complex. It is made up of two joints: the true ankle joint and ...

Bile: Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder a...

Blind: 1. Unable to see. Without part or all of the sense of sight.
2....

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Carotid: Pertaining to the carotid artery and the area near that key artery, which is loca...

Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A flexible kind of cartilag...

Claustrophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of closed spaces, of being closed in or be...

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Dilatation: The process of enlargement or expansion. Also known as dilation.

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Herniation: Abnormal protrusion of tissue through an opening.

Hospital gown: A short collarless gown that ties in the back, worn by patients being exami...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Intravenous pyelogram: An X-ray of the kidneys and urinary tract. Abbreviated IVP. Structu...

Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

Knee: The knee is a joint which has three parts. The thigh bone (the femur) meets the lar...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Magnetic resonance imaging: A procedure that uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer t...

MRA: The magnetic resonance angiogram, or MRA, is a noninvasive test that has demonstrated...

MRCP: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, an application of MRI (magnetic resonan...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pancreas: A spongy, tube-shaped organ that is about 6 inches long and is located in the ba...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prostate: A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the blad...

Prostate cancer: A malignant tumor of the prostate, the gland that produces some of the co...

Pyelogram: An X-ray study of the kidneys, especially showing the pelvis (urine-collecting ...

Radiologist: A physician specialized in radiology, the branch of medicine that uses ionizi...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by...

Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

Stenosis: A narrowing. For example, aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve in ...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...