MR imaging of the adrenal glands and kidneys

Abstract

MR imaging of the adrenal glands and kidneys can completely and accurately assess these organs for a variety of abnormalities. One of the major strengths of MR imaging of the adrenal glands is the ability of chemical shift imaging to determine the presence of intracellular lipid, thus enabling distinction of benign adrenal adenomas from other adrenal masses. The multiplanar imaging capability of MR can assist in determining the origin of large retroperitoneal masses. MR imaging of the kidneys has many applications, including staging of renal cell carcinomas and evaluating the renal vasculature. Gadolinium is a safe and non-nephrotoxic contrast agent that can be used to evaluate the kidneys in patients with renal compromise. The many advances and current research being performed in the rapidly expanding field of abdominal MR make performing these cases both exciting and challenging.