Magnetic resonance imaging of the mediastinum, hila, and lungs.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) takes advantage of physical properties of matter that are radically different from those that result in radiographic contrast, and therefore, has the potential to provide unique diagnostic information. During the last three years, the author's experience with MRI has suggested that this technique can be advantageous in evaluating some patients with chest disease. Although results to date remain somewhat preliminary, they serve to illustrate some of the strengths as well as weaknesses of this technique.