When Should Abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Be Used? José A. Gonçalves Neto, Mohamed Elazzazzi, Ersan Altun, Richard C. Semelka  Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology  Volume 6, Issue 6, Pages 610-615 (June 2008) DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2008.03.013 Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions

Figure (A) Coronal haste. (B and C) Immediate post-contrast axial 3D-fat suppressed gradient echo (GRE). (D) Ninety seconds post-contrast axial 3D-fat suppressed GRE. Patient referred to body MRI exam to evaluate a liver mass visualized in an ultrasound exam. The mass is well-characterized in the MRI exam as a hemangioma, but an incidental renal cell carcinoma in the opposite kidney is already seen. MRI, when compared with CT, does characterize the lesions better. MRI, when compared with ultrasound, not only characterizes the lesions better but has a higher conspicuity in addressing all abdominal organs. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2008 6, 610-615DOI: (10.1016/j.cgh.2008.03.013) Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions