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Fetal MRI of the urinary system.

Hörmann M, Brugger PC, Balassy C, Witzani L, Prayer D

Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Währingergürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. marcus.hoermann@meduniwien.ac.at

The assessment of the urinary system is typically performed by ultrasound. Nevertheless, an ultrasound may be inconclusive in fetuses with renal diseases that result in anhydramnios or oligohydramnios. In such cases, and in other cases in which ultrasound is limited, further investigation with MR should be considered. In the following article, we will provide an overview of the most commonly encountered disorders of the urinary system and their appearance on fetal MR imaging. Fetal MR imaging can accurately diagnose a wide variety of urinary tract disorders and must be seen as a valuable complementary tool to ultrasound in the assessment of the urinary system, particularly in cases of inconclusive ultrasound findings.

Published 6 February 2006 in Eur J Radiol, 57(2): 303-11.
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