Initial results of the effects of diuresis on gadolinium enhancement in MR imaging of the abdomen.

Rationale And Objectives: The authors performed this study to assess the effects of furosemide-induced diuresis on paramagnetic contrast material enhancement at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the kidney, liver, spleen, and psoas muscle.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five patients (average age, 44.9 years; age range, 23-74 years; 13 men, 12 women) who were suspected of having unilateral renal hydronephrosis received 0.1 mmol/kg contrast material with a standardized injection and imaging protocol to assess organ signal intensity at 0-5 minutes after injection. All patients had a normal serum creatinine level. Imaging was performed with a 1.5-T magnet by using a fat-suppressed fast spoiled gradient-echo pulse sequence and a 70 degrees flip angle. Eight patients received 40 mg of furosemide 10 minutes before contrast material injection.

Results: The areas of the renal cortical and medullary signal intensity curves minus baseline in the unilateral normal kidneys were significantly greater in the group who received furosemide (P = .026 and P = .037, respectively). The areas of the renal cortical and medullary signal intensity minus baseline in the unilateral hydronephrotic kidneys were also significantly greater in the group that received furosemide (P = .036 and P = .026, respectively). There was a statistically significant increase in splenic enhancement (P = .02) and a tendency for increased liver (P = .09) and psoas muscle (P = .08) enhancement.

Conclusion: Furosemide-induced diuresis appears to potentiate the cortical and medullary MR renogram, as well as the MR splenogram. A rapid shift in water compartmentalization from the intracellular to the extracellular space and increased renal water content with diuresis are possible explanations.