Patient Guide · MRI Reports
Understanding your MRI report
MRI reports are written for doctors, using technical language that can be difficult to decipher. This guide explains common terms and how to read your report alongside your surgeon.
The basics
What is an MRI?
No radiation
Unlike X-rays or CT scans, MRI uses a powerful magnetic field and radio waves — there is no ionising radiation exposure.
Strong magnet
The scanner is a large, high-strength magnet. You must remove all metal objects before entering the room, and inform staff about any implants, pacemakers, or metal fragments in your body.
Noise and space
The scan is painless but can be loud. You will be given ear protection. The scanner is a tunnel — most modern units are wider and shorter than older models. If you are claustrophobic, tell us beforehand.
Contrast dye
Sometimes a dye called gadolinium is given through a small IV line to highlight certain tissues. It is not iodine-based and allergic reactions are rare.
Understanding the format
How the report is structured
Clinical indication
The first section states why the scan was requested. It should match the conversation you had with your surgeon — for example, 'left-sided weakness' or 'new-onset seizures.'
Technique
Describes the scanner used, the sequences acquired (T1, T2, FLAIR, etc.), and whether contrast was given. This section is technical and intended for radiologists and surgeons.
Findings by region
The body of the report. Each anatomical area is described in turn, noting any abnormalities in size, signal, or enhancement. Normal structures are often listed as 'unremarkable' — which is exactly what you want to read.
Making sense of the language
Common terms explained
T1 / T2 / FLAIR
These are different ways the scanner 'weights' the image to highlight specific tissue properties. T1 shows anatomy clearly, T2 is sensitive to fluid and swelling, and FLAIR suppresses the normal fluid signal to make lesions near the ventricles more visible.
Contrast / Gadolinium
A dye injected during the scan that makes certain tissues — such as active inflammation or tumours with a disrupted blood-brain barrier — appear brighter. Not every scan requires it.
Enhancing lesion
An area that takes up the contrast dye and appears brighter. Enhancement often indicates an active process — which could be a tumour, inflammation, or infection. The pattern of enhancement gives important diagnostic clues.
Mass effect
A lesion that is large enough to push on or displace surrounding brain tissue. The report will note whether this is causing compression of nearby structures such as the ventricles.
Midline shift
When mass effect is significant enough to push the brain's central structures across the midline. This is a finding that demands urgent neurosurgical review.
Oedema
Swelling in brain tissue, appearing as a bright signal on T2 or FLAIR sequences. It often surrounds tumours and can contribute more to symptoms than the tumour itself.
Ischaemic change
Areas of the brain affected by reduced blood flow over time, often seen as small white spots on FLAIR images. Common with age, hypertension, and smoking — and distinct from acute stroke.
What to remember
What to do with your report
Related conditions