A retrospective chart review of clinical characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging findings of patients from a psychiatric facility in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

Abnormalities on MRI scans in mentally ill patients were common and a quarter of patients required referral to other disciplines. Further studies are required to clarify the clinical utility of MRI in patients with psychiatric illness, which could assist in the development of a guide for the rational use of this modality in a resource-constrained environment.