title: Current MRI techniques for the assessment of renal disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over the past decade, a variety of MRI methods have been developed and applied to many kidney diseases. These MRI techniques show great promise, enabling the noninvasive assessment of renal structure, function and injury in individuals. This review will highlight the current applications of functional MRI techniques for the assessment of renal disease and discuss future directions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many pathological (functional and structural) changes or factors in renal disease can be assessed by advanced MRI techniques. These include renal vascular structure and function (contrast-enhanced MRI, arterial spin labelling), tissue oxygenation (blood oxygen level dependent MRI), renal tissue injury and fibrosis (diffusion or magnetization transfer imaging, magnetic resonance elastography), renal metabolism (chemical exchange saturation transfer, spectroscopic imaging), nephron endowment (cationic-contrast imaging), sodium concentration (23Na-MRI) and molecular events (targeted-contrast imaging).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current advances in MRI techniques have enabled the noninvasive investigation of renal disease. Further development, evaluation and application of the MRI techniques should facilitate better understanding and assessment of renal disease, and the development of new imaging biomarkers, enabling the intensified treatment of high-risk populations and a more rapid interrogation of novel therapeutic agents and protocols.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Nephrology and Hypertension bDepartment of Radiology and Radiological Sciences cVanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Takamune
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Quarles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment