Physicians use diagnostic imaging to understand what is happening inside your body. Diagnostic imaging helps them find out if there is a problem and, if so, what that problem is. Also, it assists them find out how serious the problem is and helps them decide how they can best treat the problem.

Diagnostic imaging examinations range from simple x-ray exams to complex exams such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RAMIC Medical Imaging specializes in providing MRI examinations.


MRI examinations provide very detailed and precise images of what is happening inside the body.

Why would your doctor order an MRI for you, rather than another type of diagnostic imaging examination? Generally, doctors choose the imaging examination that is best suited to visualize the physician's concerns for their patients. And one type of examination, such as an x-ray, will not be the best examination in all cases.

MRI examinations are the best choice when your doctor wants to see your soft tissue. Soft tissue is muscle, fat, blood vessels, and other parts of your body that connect, support, and surround other structures. Because MRI gives your doctor such excellent information about these soft tissues, he may choose it over another type of imaging exam so that he and the radiologist can better find out what is happening inside your body.

MRI examinations do not cause pain and do not produce harmful radiation.


Inside the human body are a very large number of tiny particles called protons. An MRI machine contains a large magnet that causes these protons to return distinctive signals when the MRI machine produces a series of radio waves. The signal data is translated into two- or three-dimensional images of the scanned section of the body.


Almost anyone can have an MRI examination.

However, there are cases where patients should not have an MRI. Because an MRI uses a magnetic field, patients with metal in their bodies—pacemakers, for example—should not have an MRI examination. Also, some pregnant women should not have an MRI examination.

Don't worry about your dental fillings or your braces, though: they usually do not cause problems. The type of metal used in fillings and braces is not attracted to the magnet.

When scheduling an appointment, the staff at RAMIC will ask you detailed questions to make sure that it is safe for you to have an MRI test.


RAMIC offers MRI examinations on “open” MRI scanners at each of its nationwide facilities.

An open MRI scanner is open on all sides. (In “closed” scanners, the patient is scanned inside a tunnel-like space.) With open MRI, most of your body will be outside the machine and you will be able to see the room and the technologist.

With open MRI, patients are more comfortable and less likely to feel claustrophobic or confined.

RAMIC's open MRI machines produce excellent diagnostic quality images.


With open MRI, you can relax! Click here for more detailed information about what you can expect during an open MRI examination.