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Interpreting body MRI cases: classic findings in abdominal MRI

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Abstract

Few things in radiology are “pathognomonic” in their appearance or presentation. However, having an awareness of those findings which are specific to a certain entity is important when interpreting imaging studies. These classic findings can be identified with many imaging modalities, but no modality provides as many recognizable observations as an MRI. This results from the large variety of pulse sequences that provide high contrast resolution, prior to and following contrast administration. In this article, the most classically recognized abdominal findings are presented including the following: Liver: Cyst, hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatic adenoma, hemosiderosis, hepatocellular carcinoma. Spleen: Cyst, hemangioma, lymphangioma, hemosiderosis, Gandy–Gamna bodies. Biliary system: Biliary stones and choledocholithiasis, pneumobilia, choledochal cyst. Gallbladder: Adenomyomatosis, sludge, surgical clips in the gallbladder fossa. Pancreas: Pancreatic divisum, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, pseudocyst, autoimmune pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, adenocarcinoma. Kidneys: Simple cyst, hemorrhagic cyst, renal sinus cyst, angiomyolipoma, solid mass.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 132 South 10th Street, Suite 1087, Main Building, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Leann Kania, Flavius Guglielmo & Donald Mitchell

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  1. Leann Kania
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  2. Flavius Guglielmo
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  3. Donald Mitchell
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Correspondence to Leann Kania.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Informed consent was not required as images were appropriately de-identified and utilized for the purpose of an educational text.

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Kania, L., Guglielmo, F. & Mitchell, D. Interpreting body MRI cases: classic findings in abdominal MRI. Abdom Radiol 43, 2790–2808 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-018-1551-y

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