FAST IMAGING MR ASSESSMENT OF URETERONEPHROSIS DURING PREGNANCY

Purpose: to assess the value of the fast imaging sequence called RARE- MR-Urography (RMU) for the diagnosis of pathologic ureterohydronephros is during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: 15 pregnant women with an acute flank pain were examined with RMU. Results were compared with th ose of ultrasonography (US), X-rays, and the evolution of symptoms, Re sults: the accuracy of RMU in the detection of urinary tract dilatatio n and the Localization of the level of obstruction was excellent (100% ). The determination of the type of obstruction, intrinsic vs. extrins ic, was always exact. RMU alone cannot specify the exact nature of the intrinsic obstruction. Ultrasonography gave less sensitive informatio n in terms of level (60%) and type of obstruction (53%). Conclusion: R MU is able to differentiate a physiological from a pathologic ureteroh ydronephrosis during pregnancy. It could be considered as a procedure of choice for special cases when US failed to establish this different ial diagnosis.