Eli5 : Why cant you compare xrays to MRI’s ?
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An x-ray image is enough information to print your insides onto a piece of paper. An MRI is enough information to print your insides on a 3D printer.
Because they are completely different.
An x-ray is like a shadow. The X-ray go through your body, but are blocked by your bones. So on the other side, the only x-ray you see are those not blocked by your bones. Your bones cast an x-ray shadow.
An MRI work with big magnet that make your water molecules spin, which emit a radiofrequency that can then be detected. And MRI is basically a 3D map of your water molecules.
An X-ray uses… well… x-rays. These waves on the electromagnetic spectrum range from 10^(16) to 10^(20) Hz. These allow us to see **SOLID** structures against soft tissue.
MRI machines uses magnets. You don’t receive radiation from these. They were originally discovered by an astronomer researching other galaxies. These allow us to see structures with different densities. We can see soft tissue and distinguish tissue from other tissue.
You…can. Why would you think they can’t be? X-rays are literally used to instruct when and how to use MRI.
Specifically, x-ray is usually the first investigation into injury (at least physical damage–like from falls and sports, but also some diseases) because it’s easy, fast, and cheap. But x-ray only shows one plane of hard tissue. MRI is just a better view of inside the body and can examine soft tissue (tendon, ligament, tumors, etc) as well and can be improved with contrast for even higher quality images.
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