An MRI apparatus is provided in which a heat quantity penetrating into the
helium tank of a superconducting magnet can be grasped to select a
cryo-cooler to be incorporated, whereby consumption of liquid helium is
suppressed and a static magnetic field is generated stably. The
superconducting magnet includes a superconducting coil, containers 209
and 203 for accommodating the superconducting coil and a refrigerant, a
cooler 208 for liquefy gas once again, the gas having been obtained by
vaporizing the refrigerant in the containers, and a means for measuring
the amount of vaporized refrigerant, while keeping the pressure in the
containers at a constant level. The heat quantity penetrating into the
containers and the coolability of the cooler are measured accurately,
thereby enabling a combination in which the coolability of the cooler to
be combined has capacity more than the heat penetration amount.