Magnetic resonance of the inferior vena cava.

MRI was performed in 54 patients with abnormalities of the inferior vena cava (IVC). These included 16 patients with extrinsic IVC compression, 32 patients with intrinsic IVC abnormalities, and 6 patients with IVC dilatation. All patients had spin-echo imaging, and 21 had MR angiography. While presaturated spin-echo images showed intrinsic lesions to advantage, collateral vessels were best appreciated with MR angiography. The IVC is well evaluated with MRI techniques.