MR imaging in gastrointestinal tracts: Static and dynamic assessment

Cross sectional imaging procedures such as CT and MRI are frequently used for diagnosing intestinal disorders recently, since they provides intraluminal conditions, as well as, pathological processes in the bowel wall, extraluminal information including mesenteric infiltration, vascular compromise, lymph node swelling, peritoneal damage and ascites. State of blood supply can also be assessed with the use of intravenous contrast injection. Among them, CT is often indicated for acute conditions, while MRI is applied for more chronic conditions such as Chrohn disease and for disorders in children and young women. Since there is no radiation exposure in MRI, MR imaging is safely performed and repeated as necessary. Furthermore, continuous imaging for a long duration is also safely possible, and it is suitable for monitoring bowel contraction and for assessment of its motility function. In this article, MR imaging in Crohn diease and in functional assessment of bowel contraction is described and reviewed.