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Author Spotlight: Developing a Bedside Protocol for Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasonography
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The striated MR nephrogram, not a reflection of pathology
Andrew T Trout1, Bin Zhang2, Marguerite M Care3
1Department of Radiology - MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. andrew.trout@cchmc.org.
Pediatric Radiology
|May 28, 2015
Summary
Low signal striations in the kidney, termed striated MR nephrogram, were observed in 13% of spine MRIs. This finding is not associated with kidney dysfunction, suggesting it is not a marker of renal disease.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Nephrology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Delayed post-contrast Magnetic Resonance (MR) examinations of the spine can reveal low signal striations in the kidneys.
- The clinical significance of these striated MR nephrograms was previously uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the striated MR nephrogram.
- To evaluate the clinical relevance of this imaging finding.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 773 delayed post-contrast MRIs of the spine from 229 patients.
- Correlation of striated MR nephrogram presence with imaging parameters and clinical factors, including renal function tests.
Main Results:
- The striated MR nephrogram was identified in 13.2% of examinations (23.6% of patients).
- Presence was associated with the specific MR magnet used (P < 0.01) but not field strength or time since contrast administration.
- Serum creatinine was minimally lower in patients with striations, but no other clinical data predicted their presence.
Conclusions:
- The striated MR nephrogram is an occasional finding in delayed post-contrast spine MRIs.
- The underlying causes remain unclear.
- This finding does not appear to indicate clinically significant renal dysfunction.
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