SMRT Educational Seminars, Volume 15, Number 1

"MR of the Abdomen: Kidney"

 



 

 

 

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

For additional Category A accredited electronic-only home studies, please visit the SMRT on the web at http://cds.ismrm.org/protected/ehs/electronic.htm.
Two new electronic-only home studies will be posted soon:
“MR of the Abdomen: Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Liver Fat”
"MR Safety: Labeling, Spatial Gradient Magnetic Field and Cardiac Pacemakers"

“Given these concerns, the utility of nonradiation based techniques in the emergency setting are of interest, potentially providing an alternative to CT in certain subgroups, such as younger patients, pregnancy, patients that have undergone multiple prior CT examinations, and patients with vague clinical presentations.”

We are pleased to present the SMRT Educational Seminars, Volume 15, Number 1: “MR of the Abdomen: Kidney.” This is the 55th 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 and are approved for AIR (Australian Institute of Radiography) continuing professional development (CPD) activities.

Two articles have been selected for this SMRT home study. The first article is a review of imaging modalities used to evaluate patients seen in the emergency department with acute abdominal pain. The second article is an in-depth discussion in the imaging of renal disease.

As stated by the authors of the first article, “Emergency department (ED) use of healthcare has increased significantly across the United States.” For those of us who have worked in various medical imaging modalities, we clearly understand that “diagnostic imaging is essential to the emergency physician, often providing rapid diagnoses and streamlining patient disposition.” While CT may be commonly used for evaluation of abdominal pain, “concerns have been raised regarding the over-use of ionizing radiation in a patient population that presents at a relatively early age, and who are more likely to undergo repeat examinations. Given these concerns, the utility of nonradiation based techniques in the emergency setting are of interest, potentially providing an alternative to CT in certain subgroups, such as younger patients, pregnancy, patients that have undergone multiple prior CT examinations, and patients with vague clinical presentations.” This provides the impetus to evaluate the use of safer methods such as MRI and ultrasound.

The authors of the second article in this home study provide a most comprehensive look at the imaging evaluation and detection of renal disease including image acceleration strategies and analysis of function. “Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing in incidence in developed and developing nations and is currently among the top 10 causes of mortality in the United States.” The authors also maintain that “having the ability to determine and monitor kidney function and disease should be considered important, if not vital, for the objective of optimized therapeutic management with conventional interventions and for the further development of new treatment strategies.” While we clearly understand the challenges of using gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) in patients with kidney disease, “MR urography (MR nephrourography) shows promise for providing new insights into the evaluation of renal structure and function in relation to important disease processes, including urinary obstruction and in relation to renal transplantation.”

Many thanks to Rhonda F. Walcarius, B.Sc., R.T.(R)(MR) from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for acting as our Expert Reviewer for this home study issue and the accompanying quiz that provides the assigned continuing education credits. Thanks to John Totman, DCR(R), M.Sc., SMRT Publications Chair from Nottingham, UK, for directing and supporting the home studies program. Also, thanks 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, thanks to Jennifer Olson, Associate Executive Director, Mary Keydash, Publications Director, and the entire staff in the Berkeley, California, USA office of the ISMRM and SMRT for their insight and long hours spent supporting these education symposia.

We would also like to thank John Wilkie and all of the individuals at Invivo Corporation (Philips Healthcare) who generously support our home studies program. Their continuing investment advances technologist and radiographer knowledge and brings quality continuing education to the SMRT membership worldwide.