MR IMAGING IN CLINICALLY SUSPECTED ACUTE CHOLECYSTITIS. A comparison with ultrasonography

Abstract

The diagnostic value of fast pulse sequences in MR imaging was compared with US in patients with clinically suspected acute cholecystitis. In a prospective study of 94 patients, 35 were examined with both MR and US within 24 h. MR diagnoses were acute cholecystitis in 23, gallbladder and common bile duct stones in 3, other pathologic conditions of the abdomen in 7 and normal in 2 patients. US diagnoses were acute cholecystitis in 17, gallbladder stones in 8, other pathologic conditions of the abdomen in 2, normal in 5 and non-conclusive in 3 patients. MR has a higher sensitivity than US for diagnosing acute cholecystitis and, with increased accessibility, may be the first imaging method.