title: MRI and CT in blunt renal trauma: an update.
abstract: In our experience, MRI is as effective as CT in correctly staging renal injury. The coronal and sagittal slice orientations of MRI are particularly helpful in determining the extent of the renal parenchymal damage. Both methods are accurate in finding perirenal hematomas, assessing the viability of renal fragments, and detecting preexisting renal abnormalities but are relatively inaccurate in visualizing urinary extravasation. Although CT remains the method of choice in radiological staging of renal injury, MRI can complement CT in patients with severe renal injury, preexisting renal abnormality, equivocal CT findings, or when repeated radiological follow-up is required. MRI could replace CT in patients with iodine allergy and be used for initial staging if CT is not available.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leppäniemi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lamminen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tervahartiala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haapiainen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtonen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating