What Does a MRI Technician Do?
An MRI technician is a medical professional who uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to take detailed pictures of structures inside the body. The images captured by the equipment are used by a physician to diagnose diseases. Most MRI technicians work in hospitals or diagnostic imaging centers. MRI technicians must be adept at operating MRI equipment and able to treat patients in a kind, professional manner. Those interested in becoming an MRI technician must attend school to receive specialized training in the field. Students can choose to earn either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The MRI scanner is a magnet shaped like a donut with a tunnel in the middle of the equipment. After the patient is arranged on a table, the table moves into the tunnel. As the patient rests inside the tunnel, radio waves are used to take pictures of the internal body. The resulting images can be transferred into three-dimensional pictures in order to more accurately diagnose a medical condition. A var