Question: In the future would it be possible for MRI scanners to become available for people to use at home?

Thomas Biggans answered on 17 Jun 2016:

No unfortunately I don’t think we’ll ever make MRI scanners that can be in people’s homes.

There are several reasons for this. The first is that MRI scanners use radiofrequency (RF) signals, this is the same type of signal that your mobile phone uses, and because your phone and other devices send out these signals a MRI scanner needs to be in a room which blocks all the signals outside it. They’re blocked using what is known as a Faraday cage, this is a cage made of metals that conduct electricity, in hospitals this cage is built into the walls of an MR room so most patients don’t even notice it but if you look closely at the edge of the door you can see it! So to have a MRI scanner in your house you need to put a Faraday cage in the room.

Secondly you need a big magnet. Most MRI scanners use a type of magnet called a superconducting magnet and there are a few dangers of using this kind of magnet. It uses liquid helium which will turn into a gas if it escapes and if anyone breaths alot of it in they would choke. A strong magnet can cause alot of metal objects to fly towards it which is dangerous if you’re in the way. Magnetic fields can also make you feel really dizzy if you move your head too fast while close by.

Finally MRI scanners are expensive, they are always on and they need trained radiographers to run them. MRI scanners are very safe to use if you follow the rules, rules which you might forget about it if you’re in your own house.