MR-IMAGING OF THE FEMALE PELVIS

Magnetic resonance (MR) of the female pelvis is now gaining wider acce ptance by referring physicians and radiologists. While the cost of the examination relative to ultrasound (US) precludes its use as a genera l screening test, technological improvements have increased the applic ation of this modality in the study of gynaecological disease. MR offe rs the advantage of excellent soft tissue contrast, multiplanar imagin g capabilities and lack of radiation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss MR techniques, normal MR anatomy of the female pelvis and appl ication of MR to the study of disease processes in the female pelvis. While MR is the imaging modality of choice for neurological and muscul oskeletal imaging, image degradation in the pelvis has resulted in poo r quality images in the past. Motion artefacts from bowel, moving bloo d, and patient motion during long acquisitions all contribute to image degradation. In addition, body coil pelvic imaging is subject to decr eased image quality when compared with the transmit-receive coils used in cranial and knee applications. However, technological advances suc h as pelvic phased array coils and fast spin-echo sequences have marke dly improved pelvic MR imaging quality overcoming many of these limita tions.