Functional MR urography in patients with renal transplants

Purpose: To assess the value of functional magnetic resonance urography 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 coronal 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.