Abstract: A disposable container (100) which can be used to examine excised material during a surgical procedure is adapted for use with an open magnetic resonance scanner. The container (100) has a receive coil (200), provided in or on the body of the container (100), and can be connected (directly or indirectly) to an input of the scanner. During a surgical procedure which is monitored in known manner by magnetic resonance imaging, using the scanner, excised material such as a tumour can be placed in the container and imaged independently to check for example that the tumour and a margin of healthy tissue has been removed. Conveniently, the container can be placed in the field of the open magnetic resonance scanner for imaging, using its receive coil. The container can also be used in magnetic resonance spectroscopy and tumour classification.