Due to advances in neonatal intensive care over the last decades, the pattern of brain injury seen in very preterm infants has evolved in more subtle lesions that are still essential to diagnose in regard to neurodevelopmental outcome. While cranial ultrasound is still used at the bedside, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly used in this population for the assessment of brain maturation and white and grey matter lesions. Therefore, MRI provides a better prognostic value for the neurodevelopmental outcome of these preterms. Furthermore, the development of new MRI techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging, resting state functional connectivity and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, may further increase the prognostic value, helping to counsel parents and allocate early intervention services.