MR angiography versus color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of renal vessels and the inferior vena cava in abdominal masses of pediatric patients

Abstract

Objective: Involvement of renal vessels and the inferior vena cava (IVC) plays a decisive role during operative planning for removal of abdominal masses in pediatric patients. Advantages and limitations of MR angiography and color Doppler sonography for determining these factors were evaluated.

Materials and methods: MR angiography and color Doppler sonography were performed preoperatively in 42 neonates, infants, and children with abdominal masses and were compared with spin-echo MR imaging and with surgical findings. Variables evaluated were anatomic variants, vessel displacement, patency of vessels, collateral circulation, and intravascular tumor extension. Quality of vessel visualization was assessed in vessels not affected by tumor.

Results: In 88% of unaffected renal vessels, the entire vessel course could be visualized on MR angiography compared with 58% on color Doppler sonography and 43% on spin-echo MR imaging. In four of nine cases, color Doppler sonography revealed an accessory renal artery, whereas MR angiography revealed these variants in seven of nine cases. MR angiography showed 79% and color Doppler sonography 66% of displaced vessels. Unlike MR angiography, color Doppler sonography did not reveal five stenotic renal veins because they could not be completely imaged. In two cases, however, MR angiography falsely indicated an occlusion of the IVC, whereas color Doppler sonography showed residual flow.

Conclusion: Anatomic variants, vessel displacement, collateral circulation, and neoplastic vessel infiltration were revealed more accurately by MR angiography than by color Doppler sonography. In cases in which patency of the IVC is unclear on MR angiography, color Doppler sonography should also be performed.