APRIL 2014 • Vol. 3, Issue 2

64th Home Study: MRI of the Abdomen: Adrenal Gland and Biliary Tract

Anne Marie Sawyer, B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), FSMRT
Editor

"At present, MRI/MRCP rivals, and in many cases has greater advantages, in biliary tract display compared with the previous standard endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or percutaneous transhepatic cholagangiography (PTC). ERCP and PTC are now relegated for interventions, not for diagnosis alone."

We are pleased to present the SMRT Educational Seminars, Volume 17, Number 2: “MRI of the Abdomen: Adrenal Gland and Biliary Tract.” (coming soon!) This is the 64th accredited home study developed by the SMRT, exclusively for SMRT members. The accreditation is conducted by the SMRT acting as a RCEEM (Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism) for the ARRT. Category A credits are assigned to each home study, which can be used to maintain one’s ARRT advanced registry. SMRT Home Studies are also approved for AIR (Australian Institute of Radiography), NZIMRT (New Zealand Institute of Radiation Technology) and CPD Now (The College of Radiographers, United Kingdom) continuing professional development (CPD) activities.

Two peer-reviewed articles have been chosen for this home study issue. The authors of the first, Adrenal MRI: Techniques and Clinical Applications, jump right in describing the importance of basic scan parameters of in- and opposed-phase imaging and fat-suppressed imaging. While they acknowledge some limitations of MR in the imaging of the adrenal gland, they emphasize its importance in the overall clinical work-up: "MR may not always be able to characterize an adrenal mass. In these instances, reviewing the patient's clinical history and prior imaging can usually differentiate benign from malignant lesions, even if you cannot establish an exact tissue diagnosis." The article includes many images comparing various MR techniques and CT that support the value of MR in the detection of adrenal lesions.

In the second article, MRI in the Workup of Biliary Tract Filling Defects, the authors provide a comprehensive review from patient preparation through all imaging sequences necessary to successfully detect and identify complications and obstructions in the biliary tree. "At present, MRI/MRCP rivals, and in many cases has greater advantages, in biliary tract display compared with the previous standard endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or percutaneous transhepatic cholagangiography (PTC). ERCP and PTC are now relegated for interventions, not for diagnosis alone."

A special thank you to Carol Lee, B.S., R.T.(R)(CT)(MR) from Greenville, South Carolina, USA for acting as the Expert Reviewer.

Thanks also to Heidi Berns, M.S., R.T.(R)(MR), FSMRT, Chair of the SMRT RCEEM Ad-hoc committee from Coralville, Iowa, USA and all those who participate on this committee by reviewing the home studies for accreditation. Finally, many thanks to Jennifer Olson, Associate Executive Director, Mary Keydash, Publications Director, Linda O-Brown, SMRT Coordinator, Sally Moran, Director of Electronic Communications and the entire staff in the Berkeley, California, USA office of the ISMRM and SMRT for their insight and long hours spent supporting these educational symposia.