ABSTRACT
MRI protocols should generally be adjusted to the patients’ clinical conditions and acquisition time should be minimized.
In the current literature, there exist no standard MR protocols for imaging of the abdomen, especially for diagnosing adhesions and/or hernias. However, usually gadolinium-based contrast media is applied except during pregnancy and patients with known renal impairment. It is possible to choose from either free-breathing or breath-holding protocols. In summary, a typical MRI protocol for evaluating the abdomen may include the following:
• Axial and coronal T2-weighted images using the so-called half Fourier single-shot spin-echo (HASTE) technique
• T1-weighted breath-hold gradient-echo sequ ence including in-phase and out-of phase images
• Breath-hold unenhanced or contrast-enhanced axial and coronal 3D T1-weighted fat-saturated images
• Coherently balanced steady-state free precession sequence in the coronal orientation
CONTENTS
24.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 531 24.2 MRI Protocols .............................................................................................................................................................. 531
24.2.1 Functional Cine MRI.................................................................................................................................... 532 24.3 Abdominal Wall .......................................................................................................................................................... 532
24.3.1 Adhesions ...................................................................................................................................................... 532 24.3.2 Tumors............................................................................................................................................................ 533
24.4 Hernia ........................................................................................................................................................................... 535 24.4.1 External Hernia............................................................................................................................................. 536 24.4.2 Internal Hernia.............................................................................................................................................. 537
24.5 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................... 537 References................................................................................................................................................................................ 539
24.2.1 Functional Cine MRI
Functional cine MRI should not be mistaken for dynamic MRI using intravenous or arterial contrast media but explained as acquisition of consecutive MR images during respiration freezing motion. To overcome the impossibility of other even 3D MRI techniques to visualize the visceral slide a special MRI protocol was developed by the workgroup of Lienemann et al. [6].
