An MRI suited for examining soft tissue, (e.g. ligament and tendon injury, spinal cord injury, brain tumors etc.) while a CT scan is better suited for bone injuries, lung and chest imaging, and detecting cancers. CT scans are widely used in emergency rooms because the procedure takes less than5 minutes. An MRI, on the other hand, can take up to30 minutes.
An MRI typically costs more than a CT scan. One advantage of an MRI is that it does not use radiation while CAT scans do. This radiation is harmful if there is repeated exposure.
MRI scan can be done in3 planes Axial, coronal and sag-ital while CT only in Axial
Most Importantly cost of MRI is very expensive than CT.
CT scanners use strong X ray tube, fitted with highly sensitive detectors. New generations of this devices enable really fast and precise examinations (e.g. urgent brain scan takes less than3 minutes /this is my personal best :) /, of course if you have good trained back up team, and about5mnts more after, for images processing). Of course, there is possibility to make multi plan images- not only axial, but coronal, sagital, slant, etc... Also, there is possibility to perform other imaging- arteriographies, coronarographies(non invasive heart examination), virtual endoscopies, etc. Possibilities for diagnostic imaging of CT are really wide. Builiarmful ionizing radiation, but examinations lasts longer (15 minutes and more), and absolute immobility due this time is pretty uncomfortable for patient. Also, there are some claustrophobic people who just can't enter in the long and narrow tube (most MRI devices are designed like that) where they can hear pretty strong throbbing, wistling etc...
