For spine MRI, which coil is used?

• A. Head coil
• B. Body coil
• C. Surface or circumferential whole-volume coil
• D. Gamma camera

Answer: (B)

Coils in MRI determine how well the system can transmit and receive signals over the area being imaged. For the spine, you want coverage that spans from the neck to the lower back with a uniform RF field, so the image quality is consistent along the entire spinal column. The body coil is a large-volume coil that surrounds the patient, providing that broad, uniform transmit/receive field and enabling whole-spine imaging without needing to move or re-seat coils. This makes it a practical choice when dedicated spine-specific surface coils aren’t used or available. A head coil is specialized for the skull, not the spine; a gamma camera is used in nuclear medicine, not MRI; and while a surface coil can give high signal near its surface, it covers only a limited area and wouldn’t be ideal for full-spine coverage without multiple placements.