Abdominal MRI

Alternative names:

magnetic resonance imaging - abdomen; MRI of the abdomen; NMR - abdomen; nuclear magnetic resonance - abdomen

Normal values:

The abdominal organs are normal in size and position as viewed from any plane. There are no new growths or lesions, and there is normal organ function (of the organs where MRI can indicate their function).

What abnormal results mean:

The sensitivity of MRI depends, in part, on the experience of the radiologist. As MRI becomes more common, increasingly detailed diagnoses may be possible.

Abdominal MRI may reveal many disorders, including:

• obstructed vena cava
• renal vein thrombosis
• renal arterial obstruction
• hydronephrosis (kidney enlargement from reflux of urine)
• glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney glomeruli)
• acute tubular necrosis
• extent of tissue damage in organ (kidney) transplant rejection
• pancreatic cancer
• adrenal masses
• mass (tumor) of the gallbladder
• other tumors or masses
• differentiates cancer from other types of lesions
• staging of prostate, uterine, or bladder cancer
• lymphadenopathy (abnormalities of the lymph nodes)
• portal vein obstruction (liver)
• enlarged spleen or liver
• distended gallbladder or bile duct
• gallstones, bile duct stones
• focal diseases such as abscess, hemangiomas, or others

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• abdominal aortic aneurysm
• acute renal failure
• adenomyosis
• atheroembolic renal disease
• carcinoma of the renal pelvis or ureter
• chronic renal failure
• cystinuria
• hydatidiform mole
• injury of the kidney and ureter
• insulinoma
• islet of Langerhans' tumor
• medullary cystic disease
• multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) II
• multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) I
• nephrolithiasis
• ovarian cancer
• pheochromocytoma
• skin lesion of histoplasmosis