fig1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a magnetic resonance device 1 . this is designed for scanning an extremity of a patient , for which purpose it has a magnet unit 2 having an extremity radiography unit 3 into which an extremity , for example an arm or a leg , of a patient can be introduced while the remainder of the patient remains outside the extremity radiography unit 3 . the magnet unit 2 , which observes the conventional design specifications for magnetic resonance devices , in particular therefore comprises a here superconducting main magnet having a field strength & gt ; 1 tesla , a gradient coil arrangement and a high - frequency coil arrangement , is mounted to be capable of pivoting about a horizontal pivot axis in a housing 4 which contains further components of the magnetic resonance device , cf . arrow 5 . a cold head 6 only suggested here is also part of the magnet unit in this situation . the housing 4 itself is mounted on a base 7 such that it is capable of rotation as a whole about a vertical axis , cf . arrow 8 . in order to achieve simple , manual operation the center of gravity of the housing 4 with the magnet unit 2 lies on the vertical axis of rotation ; counterweights 9 are provided in order to achieve this . by way of the pivoting capability of the magnet unit 2 and the rotation capability of the housing 4 the magnetic resonance device can be brought into different positions which are conducive to comfort during an examination , although as can be seen the magnet unit 2 is not arranged centrally in the housing 4 but toward the edge thereof , in fig1 toward the right - hand edge . fig2 shows a more detailed view of said pivoting capability of the magnet unit 2 in a schematic diagram . the magnet unit 2 is , as already mentioned , mounted in the housing 4 . there the magnet unit 2 bears with a contact surface on a slide surface 11 on the housing 4 , in which case the magnet unit 2 also fits on its upper side into the housing 4 by way of corresponding surfaces 12 , 13 . fig2 shows a section through a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the extremity radiography unit 3 , in which plane the outer contour of the magnet unit 2 as can be seen , at least in the possible contact region , is designed to be round in the form of a circle in order to permit a corresponding sliding pivoting about a pivot axis lying outside the region illustrated by fig2 , which stands perpendicular on the image plane of fig2 and consequently runs horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the extremity radiography unit 3 . this makes it possible to tilt the extremity radiography unit 3 from the horizontal , as is likewise indicated in fig2 . a horizontal position 14 of the extremity radiography unit 3 is shown drawn in solid lines . within the slide surface 11 which acts as a guide , three engagement points are provided in the present instance , namely a middle engagement point 15 assigned to the horizontal position 14 and also two outer engagement points 16 which simultaneously mark an end stop . because the engagement points 16 correspond to pivoting movements through + 10 ° and − 10 ° respectively , the magnet unit can be pivoted in an angular range of 20 ° in total , with three fixedly provided positions being present . in addition to the horizontal position 14 , the position 17 tilted through 10 ° associated with the right - hand engagement point 16 is also illustrated by dashed lines in fig2 . a horizontal position 14 of the extremity radiography unit 3 can for example be utilized in order to scan an arm with the magnetic resonance device . for legs , it is more favorable if they are supported sloping slightly downward in the extremity radiography unit 3 . one of the positions given by the engagement points 16 can then be used , for example the position 17 . the decision on where the extremity is introduced depends on which side of the extremity radiography unit 3 is situated higher ; this means that the pivoting capability of the magnet unit 2 makes it possible to use the magnetic resonance device 1 from both sides . thus , when one leg is being scanned as an extremity a patient can always position the other leg in each case comfortably beside the housing 4 or the magnet unit 2 even though the housing 4 is more extended to the one side . the engagement points 15 , 16 are used not only for the definition of fixed positions 14 , 17 of the magnet unit 2 but also fulfill the function of plug - in locations ; this means that whenever the magnet unit 2 , for example by way of an appropriate projection , engages in an indentation corresponding to an engagement point , appropriate connection facilities for signal lines and power supply lines not illustrated here in detail provide for a corresponding connection of the magnet unit 2 with the housing 4 . in an exemplary embodiment in which no engagement points are provided but an arbitrary pivoting capability having a suitable fixing device is provided , sliding contacts are provided as connection facilities ; in the example illustrated here the engagement points finally form plug - in locations by way of which the connections are correctly established . the use of wireless connection facilities is also conceivable , in particular for signal transmission . if the pivoting capability of the magnet unit 2 , as illustrated here , is implemented jointly with the rotation capability , cf . arrow 8 in fig1 , it is actually sufficient to provide the space for a patient chair or the like , or the patient chair or some other patient support device itself only on one side of the magnetic resonance device 1 because the latter can be turned through 180 °, for which purpose fixed engagement positions spaced at 180 ° are preferably provided , similar to what is shown in fig2 . fig3 shows the rotation capability of the magnetic resonance device 1 in more detail in a further schematic drawing . it can be seen that the rotation capability of the housing 4 with the magnet unit 2 is implemented about a central , vertical axis of rotation 18 such that a patient positioning device 19 , for example a patient chair , which is only suggested here , can remain on one side of the magnetic resonance device 1 without any problems as can be seen . appropriate connection facilities , for example slip couplings , can also be employed with regard to the rotation capability of the housing 4 on the base 7 . as fig1 additionally shows , the magnetic resonance device also has sensors 20 by way of which the position of the magnet unit 2 or of the housing 4 in respect of the pivoting capability and the rotation capability can be acquired and forwarded to a control device 21 of the magnetic resonance device 1 . this data can be evaluated in different ways in the control device 21 . on the one hand the control device 21 is designed in order to ascertain at least one imaging parameter of the magnetic resonance device 1 depending on a position measured by the sensors 20 , in which case for example it is possible to conclude whether a right or a left knee of the patient is currently to be examined . an appropriate measurement program can then be selected or offered to a user for selection . in addition however the magnetic resonance device 1 in the magnet unit 2 also has a controllable shim device 22 , for example comprising shim coils , by way of which the homogeneity in the imaging region situated within the extremity radiography unit 3 can be improved . if the magnetic resonance device 1 is being set up for the first time , the effects of the pivoting and rotation operations on the homogeneity in the imaging region are measured , for example within the scope of a calibration process , so that suitable control parameter sets for achieving a maximum degree of homogeneity in each of these positions can be ascertained and stored . during operation of the magnetic resonance device 1 it is then possible to select a suitable control parameter set , depending on the data from the sensors 20 . if a continuous and / or an arbitrary rotation capability and / or pivoting capability is implemented in another exemplary embodiment , characteristic curves and / or characteristic diagrams are also conceivable in order to be able to locate suitable control parameters for the shim device 22 . it should finally also be noted that with regard to the exemplary embodiment described here a manual pivoting capability / rotation capability of the magnetic resonance device 1 is provided , which can be made possible by means of suitable spring balancers and the like in addition to the aforementioned counterweights . it should however be noted in this situation that exemplary embodiments having electrically driven pivoting and / or rotation capabilities are naturally also conceivable , for which purpose suitable drive means are to be provided . although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by means of the preferred exemplary embodiment , the invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention .