How to perform and interpret cine MR enterography.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Radiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Magnetic resonance (MR) enterography is a key diagnostic tool for small bowel assessment.
• Multiphasic cine imaging offers functional data on bowel motility, complementing standard MR enterography.
• Bowel motility evaluation improves lesion detection in Crohn's disease and is used in scoring systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance on performing and interpreting multiphasic cine MR enterography.
• To highlight the utility of cine sequences in evaluating small bowel strictures and adhesions.
• To encourage wider adoption of cine MR enterography in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Description of multiphasic balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequences for cine MR enterography across various MR systems.
• Practical recommendations for displaying and interpreting cine MR enterography sequences.
• Inclusion of illustrative case studies.

Main Results:

• Cine MR enterography provides functional information on bowel motility.
• This technique aids in the detection of pathological lesions, particularly in Crohn's disease.
• Cine sequences enhance the diagnostic value when used alongside T2-weighted, contrast-enhanced T1-weighted, and diffusion-weighted imaging.

Conclusions:

• Multiphasic cine MR enterography is a valuable, albeit underutilized, tool for small bowel evaluation.
• It offers unique insights into bowel motility, strictures, and adhesions.
• Integrating cine sequences improves the comprehensiveness of MR enterography examinations.