ABSTRACT
Recent technological achievements have enabled the transposition of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with good diagnostic quality into other body regions, especially the abdomen and pelvis. Many emerging and established applications are now being evaluated on the upper abdomen, the liver being the most studied organ. This article discusses imaging strategies for DWI on the upper abdomen, describes the clinical protocol, and reviews the most common clinical applications of DWI on solid abdominal organs.
Subject(s)
Abdomen/pathology , Adrenal Gland Diseases/diagnosis , Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Digestive System Diseases/diagnosis , Kidney Diseases/diagnosis , Splenic Diseases/diagnosis , Contrast Media , HumansABSTRACT
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a powerful imaging technique in neuroimaging; its value in abdominal and pelvic imaging has only recently been appreciated as a result of improvements in magnetic resonance imaging technology. There is growing interest in the use of DWI for evaluating pathology in the pelvis. Its ability to noninvasively characterize tissues and to depict changes at a cellular level allows DWI to be an effective complement to conventional sequences of pelvic imaging, especially in oncologic patients. The addition of DWI may obviate contrast material in those with renal insufficiency or contrast material allergy.
