Abbreviated MRI Protocols for the Abdomen

Abstract

Technical advances in MRI have improved image quality and have led to expanding clinical indications for its use. However, long examination and interpretation times, as well as higher costs, still represent barriers to use of MRI. Abbreviated MRI protocols have emerged as an alternative to standard MRI protocols. These abbreviated MRI protocols seek to reduce longer MRI protocols by eliminating unnecessary or redundant sequences that negatively affect cost, MRI table time, patient comfort, image quality, and image interpretation time. However, the diagnostic information is generally not compromised. Abbreviated MRI protocols have already been used successfully for hepatocellular carcinoma screening, for prostate cancer detection, and for screening for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as well as monitoring patients with this disease. It has been reported that image acquisition time and costs can be considerably reduced with abbreviated MRI protocols, compared with standard MRI protocols, while maintaining a similar sensitivity and accuracy. Nevertheless, multiple applications still need to be explored in the abdomen and pelvis (eg, surveillance of metastases to the liver; follow-up of cystic pancreatic lesions, adrenal incidentalomas, and small renal masses; evaluation of ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women; staging of cervical and uterine corpus neoplasms; evaluation of müllerian duct anomalies). This article describes some successful applications of abbreviated MRI protocols, demonstrates how they can help in improving the MRI workflow, and explores potential future directions. ©

Advances in the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

“…For HCC surveillance, abbreviated MRI (AMRI) is more cost-effective. 29 , 30 In a cohort of 174 patients, AMRI was performed to reduce scan times and costs by 30.7–49.0%, whilst with clinically acceptable sensitivity (80.6%) and specificity (96.1%) were maintained. 31 In other studies performed in cirrhotic HBV-infected patients, AMRI conferred high per-lesion sensitivity (85.2%) and negative predictive values compared to US, with comparable positive prediction values and per-lesion sensitivity to complete dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.…”

Emergency department implementation of abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging for pediatric traumatic brain injury

“…18 However, abbreviated MRI implementation has been detailed in other settings and varying pathologies. 3,[29][30][31] Importantly, equipment, personnel, and financial resources for…”

MRI of female genital tract congenital anomalies: European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) guidelines

“…T2 HASTE coronal (a) and axial (b) images depict the right ovary in an ectopic location, in the right paracolic gutter. Of note, the right ovary was reported as absent in a previous MRI examination that did not include a large FOV sequence, highlighting the importance of a dedicated MRI protocol uterine structure, the presence of blood products in the uterine cavity and the presence of renal anomalies [24].…”