ABSTRACT
Imaging of parenchymal renal diseases has for long been restricted to renal length, cortico-medullary differentiation, evaluated by various radiological techniques, and functional information, evaluated by nuclear medicine technique. Today, the new developments of both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, providing higher signal-to-noise ratio and higher spatial and/or temporal resolution, and MR contrast agents have the potential to drive new opportunities for obtaining reliable and quantitative functional data, as well as information on tissue characteristics relevant to various renal diseases.
