Spinal cord cancer. Coloured magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showing a cancerous tumour growing in the spinal cord of a 10 year old girl. This is a side (sagittal) view. The malignant tumour (purple oblong just to the right of centre) is growing next to three of the vertebrae of the spinal column (down centre). MRI scans produce slice images of the body using pulses of radio waves and a powerful magnetic field.