Aims: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive imaging modality to detect brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, there is limited evidence that routine MRI screening improves overall survival. This study aimed to measure the frequency of MRI usage in staging of newly diagnosed advanced NSCLC, to explore the factors associated with MRI uptake, and to describe the effect of MRI usage on overall survival. Methods: A retrospective review of records was conducted on NSCLC patients diagnosed at the Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre between 2020 and 2024. Data on baseline characteristics, survival and radiological responses were extracted then analysed using descriptive statistics. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine factors associated with brain MRI usage. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Amongst the 151 records examined, there were 132 patients with Stage III and Stage IV NSCLC included in the analysis. 27/132 patients (20.5%) underwent MRI and 44/132 patients (33.3%) underwent CT as their first imaging modality whilst 45/132 (34.0%) did not have baseline brain imaging. 16/132 (12.1%) patients had both CT and MRI. Younger age was associated with a reduced MRI utilisation (OR 0.96, p=0.047), whilst presence of neurological symptoms at baseline was associated with increased MRI utilisation (OR 2.88, p=0.040). The brain metastases detection rate in MRI and CT usage was 59% and 15.9% respectively. Survival analysis demonstrated longer numerical median overall survival (mOS) among patients who firstly underwent brain MRI compared with those who did not (37 mo [21.5-NR] vs 21 mo [14.7-48.6], log-rank χ²=1.5, p=0.20). Conclusions: Whilst MRI staging may offer a survival advantage likely through the earlier detection and management of brain metastases, larger, adequately powered studies are required to definitively confirm its statistical impact on overall survival.