[Magnetic resonance angiography of the renal arteries]

Initially, the clinical use of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the abdomen has been restricted because of motion and flow related artifacts. The advent of high performance gradient systems made possible the development of 3D gadolinium-enhanced MRA techniques and expanded the clinical applications of MRA into the abdominal area, particularly for the investigation of renal arteries. This technique is safe, because the administered contrast agent (gadolinium) is free of clinically detectable nephrotoxicity and has a low incidence of allergic reactions. Moreover, contrast MRA also eliminates the risks of ionizing radiation which allows repeating the examination without the accumulation of radiation exposure. The main disadvantages of the technique are its low availability and the fact that the use of contrast agents for this procedure is still not reimbursed by the social security. Many studies demonstrated that contrast MRA allows for the reliable assessment of renal artery morphology and pathologic states. Furthermore, within a single MR examination a comprehensive approach including renal artery morphology, hemodynamic significance of any stenosis and kidney perfusion is available. In this paper, we provide a review of the literature concerning the clinical performance of contrast MRA for the renal arteries and suggest its rationale for the investigation of patients suspected of renovascular disease in our specific environment.