Seeing Inside the Body: The Magic of MRI Scans

An MRI scan is a special test that creates clear pictures of what's inside your body. It uses a big magnet, radio waves, and a computer. Doctors and nurses use MRI to check for, diagnose, and keep an eye on different health issues. The first MRI pictures were made in the early 1970s, and they took pictures of a real person in 1977. MRI machines that people could use came around in the 1980s.

There are two main types of MRI machines: closed bore and open bore. Closed bore MRI machines make the highest quality pictures, but open MRI machines might be more comfortable for some people. People who feel really scared in small spaces might like open MRI machines. In the Government Medical College Srinagar, they set up the first MRI machine in the valley back in 2000-2001. It was a Siemens Symphony with a magnetic strength of 1.5 Tesla. This was a big deal for medical imaging in the area because before that, patients had to travel outside the valley for MRI scans, which was expensive.

A few years later, they put another MRI machine in the same place, and it had the same strength, but it was an upgraded version (1.5 Avento Siemens). Then, in 2014, there was a flood that damaged the radiology department and all the fancy MRI machines. For a while, they didn't have these machines at Government Medical College Srinagar until 2015 when a new 3 Tesla (Skyra) MRI machine was installed, thanks to the Prime Minister's relief fund. This got the radiology department back on track.

In 2020-2021, another 3 Tesla MRI machine was installed at IMHANS (Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences), also known as the Government Psychiatric Hospital. These two machines were the first in the government sector with 3 Tesla strength. The main difference between a 1.5 Tesla and a 3 Tesla MRI machine is the strength of the magnetic field they make. Here's what sets them apart:

 Image Quality: A 3 Tesla MRI usually makes better and sharper images compared to a 1.5 Tesla MRI. The stronger magnetic field helps doctors see inside the body with more detail.
 Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR): A 3 Tesla MRI has a higher SNR, which means it can capture more detailed information while keeping the images clear. This is super useful for looking at small things and soft tissues.
 Imaging Speed: Generally, a 3 Tesla MRI can do scans faster than a 1.5 Tesla MRI because of the stronger signals. This is helpful for patients who might find it hard to stay still during a scan.
 Clinical Applications: Both 1.5 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI machines can be used for lots of things like checking the brain, spine, muscles, tummy, and heart. But 3 Tesla MRI machines are often better for special jobs like functional MRI (fMRI) and research projects.

The big difference between 1.5 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI machines is how strong the magnetic field is. Which one to use depends on what the patient needs and the kind of pictures the doctors want to take.

Rauf Ahmad Laigroo is a Sr. MRI Technologist Govt Medical College Srinagar