[Value of magnetic resonance tomography in gastroenterological diagnosis]

The value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the gastrointestinal tract has not yet been determined. In neoplastic disease, MRI has a high sensitivity in the detection of liver metastases secondary to colorectal cancer. MRI is superior to CT in differentiating recurrent rectal cancer from fibrosis. The high sensitivity of MRI in the detection of fistulae in Crohn's disease and the differentiation from fibrosis represents an advantage over other modalities in imaging of inflammatory bowel disease. Further development of MRI and the use of contrast media for both oral and intravenous administration may offer new perspectives of MRI in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.