Surface coil magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the spine in conventional sagittal and parasagittal planes has been reported to show the cervical tissues with great clarity. Theoretically, an imaging plane perpendicular to the cervical neural foramina would be particularly effective for demonstrating the cervical spinal nerves and roots. We correlated MR images and cryomicrotome sections of the cervical spine to analyze the MR appearance of the neural foramina in this view. The normal MR appearances of the dorsal and ventral roots in cross section and, for the first time, the interradicular cleft were identified. New criteria for diagnosis of nerve root compression were suggested by the anatomic observations.