MRI provides detailed pictures of the brain and nerve tissues.
A brain MRI can be used to diagnose many disorders and diseases that affect the brain. These can include:
- Birth brain defects
- Bleeding in the brain (subarachnoid or intracranial hemorrhage, vascular disease)
- Brain infections
- Brain tumor
- Hormonal disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
An MRI scan of the brain can also determine causes of:
- Muscle weakness or numbness and tingling
- Loss of sense of smell
- Change in behaviour
- Changes in thinking
- Hearing loss
- Headaches when certain other symptoms or signs are present
- Speaking problems
- Visual problems
A special type of MRI scan called Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) may be done to look at blood vessels in the brain and neck.
A sequence called diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) can also be done to detect stroke and vascular problems.