MRI of the brain for children is very harmless because MRI is a form of nuclear magnetic imaging, unlike CT of the head, which is a form of imaging due to radiation, and the amount of radiation for children is relatively high and should be done as little as possible. MRI of the brain is not radioactive and has very little effect on the brain, so MRI of the brain for children is less harmful. When MRI is done in children, sedative drugs such as chloral hydrate are used to help children do better with MRI and avoid interfering shadows, so MRI in children is less harmful.