[Functional MR urography in patients with kidney transplantation].

PURPOSE: To assess the value of functional magnetic resonance urology for the noninvasive postoperative evaluation of renal transplants.

METHODS

A saturation inversion projection sequence allows the selective imaging of strongly T1 weighted signal from the MR contrast agent. A control slab leads to images comparable to conventional urography which can be acquired as a sequence with four images per minute.

RESULTS

15 patients with urologic questionable findings after renal transplantation were studied. FMRU revealed in 6 patients normal findings, in 6 moderate dilatation of the renal pelvis without any urodynamic relevant obstruction. 3 pathologic findings, ureteral leak, ureteropelvic-junction obstruction and ureteral stenosis were diagnosed and consequently surgically treated. The imaging quality in all studies was diagnostic and urologically relevant.

CONCLUSION

FMRU can be used as a noninvasive technique for the assessment of renal transplant in cases with suspicion of complication in the excretory system.