Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a scan of your body that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy. In many cases an MRI provides information that cannot be obtained from an x-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan.

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) can find problems of the spinal discs, such as a ruptured disc. The test may also show if a disc is pressing on a nerve causing symptoms such as sciatica, find areas of the spine that are abnormally narrowed (spinal stenosis) and that may need surgery, or find an infection.