Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Aug 2005
ReviewMagnetic resonance evaluation of pregnant patients with acute abdominal pain.
Acute abdominal pain in a pregnant patient is associated with a long differential diagnosis, and diagnostic imaging is often required to guide management. Ultrasound is safe and widely available; however, maternal structures may be difficult to evaluate during pregnancy due to anatomic changes. ⋯ Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides excellent anatomic resolution and tissue characterization without ionizing radiation, and MR diagnosis frequently requires no contrast administration. Using an appropriate combination of sequences, MR imaging can reliably demonstrate many causes of acute abdominal pain during pregnancy.