Objective To observe the MR findings of brain metastases from different primary tumors. Methods 125 patients with brain metastases confirmed by clinic and pathology in our hospital between January 2013 and April 2016 were selected as study subjects. All patients received MR routine plain scan and enhanced scan. The sites, number, size, shape, edema and signal of brain metastases from different primary tumors were observed and compared. Results In terms of sites of brain metastases, there were a total of 350 tumor lesions, of which most were located in parietal lobe (105), followed by occipital lobe (81). Brain metastases from lung adenocarcinoma easily occurred in the parietal lobe (55), small cell lung cancer in the temporal lobe (19) and breast cancer in the brain stem and cerebellum (20). In 125 patients, there were 108 patients with multiple lesions. There were significant differences in the size of brain metastases and the degree of edema between patients with different primary tumors (P<0.05). Most shape was round or quasi-circular (85 cases). In terms of signal, plain scan showed equal or slightly low signal on T1WI, high signal on T2WI and most with homogeneous enhancement (203). 54 cases were examined by SWI, the detection rate of SWI to intratumoral hemorrhage was significantly higher than that of plain scan T1WI (P<0.05). 11 of the drainage vessels were detected by SWI, while only 5 were detected by T1WI. Conclusion The MR findings of brain metastases from different primary tumors are different, which provide evidence for the source of brain metastasis. Meanwhile, MR enhanced scan and SWI play an important role in the diagnosis of brain metastases.