Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe, painless test that uses radio waves and energy from strong magnets to create detailed images of your body. A cervical MRI scans the soft tissues of your neck and cervical spine. The cervical spine is the portion of your spine that runs through your neck.
A cervical MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan uses energy from strong magnets to create pictures of the part of the spine that runs through the neck area (cervical spine). MRI does not use radiation (x-rays). Single MRI images are called slices. The images can be stored on a computer or printed on film. One exam produces many images.
A cervical spine MRI scan is used to help diagnose:
An individual MRI image is called a slice. It’s an image of a cross-section of tissue. You can think of it in the same way a slice of bread is a cross-section of a loaf of bread. One complete MRI scan can consist of hundreds of slices. These images can be stored on a computer and then converted into 3-D images of the scanned area.
Why is a cervical MRI done?
A cervical spine MRI is usually used to diagnose the cause of neck pain. It’s often performed if the pain hasn’t improved with basic treatment. It may also be done if the pain is accompanied by numbness or weakness.
A cervical MRI scan can show: