Fitness Testing

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

aim: MRI is a noninvasive, painless medical test, that is used to diagnose and treat medical conditions. In terms of body composition, the high-quality images can be processed to differentiate and measure the amounts of fat and lean body tissue and teir distribution.
equipment required: MRI
method: MRI is an x-ray based method, in which a magnetic field 'excites' water and fat molecules in the body, producing a measurable signal.
description / procedure: A person lies within the magnet as a computer scans the body, which can take about 30 minutes. High-quality images show the amount of fat and where it is distributed.

advantages: this is a noninvasive method for body composition analysis
disadvantages: The use of MRI is limited due to the high cost of equipment and analysis.
other comments: the x-rays used for this technique are very safe as the equipment uses no ionizing radiation.