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"Quick" MRIs without contrast in the setting of pediatric abscess drainage: A comparative analysis of clinical
Jessica Witt1, Paul Laeseke2, Geng Li3
1University of Wisconsin Madison, Medical Student, 600 Highland Drive, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
Background/Purpose:
To assess the use of "quick" MRI without contrast in the setting of percutaneous drain management in pediatric patients.
Methods:
A retrospective medical record review was conducted to compare "quick" MRI without contrast to CT in the pediatric percutaneous drain placement setting. The study included 111 patients under 18-years-old having undergone percutaneous drain placement between January 2014 and January 2019. The "quick" MRI protocol consists of axial single-shot-fast-spin-echo (SSFSE) and fat-saturated SSFSE coronal sequences. Primary clinical outcomes included number of additional drain placement procedures, complications, length of hospitalization, and repeat drainage within 6 months following drain-free interval. The use of "quick" MRI post-procedurally was also investigated.
Results:
Patients with pre-drain "quick" MRIs instead of CTs had no significant difference in the need for additional drain placement (p = 1), length of hospitalization (p = 0.275), or drainage complications (p = 0.728). Patients receiving "quick" MRI for follow-up imaging post-drain placement had no greater rate of repeat drainage within 6 months of initial drain discontinuation (p = 0.90) when compared to patients having CT.
Conclusions:
Pre and post-drainage procedure "quick" MRIs were found to be equivalent to CT in regard to several key clinical outcomes.
Insights
Quick MRI without contrast is as effective as CT for pediatric percutaneous drain management. This imaging technique shows no significant difference in outcomes like additional procedures or hospitalization length.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Pediatric Imaging
- Interventional Radiology
Background:
- Percutaneous drain placement is a common procedure in pediatric patients.
- Contrast-enhanced imaging is often used, but carries risks.
- Non-contrast imaging alternatives are being explored for efficiency and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a "quick" MRI protocol without contrast for managing percutaneous drains in children.
- To compare "quick" MRI to CT in terms of clinical outcomes related to drain placement and management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 111 pediatric patients (<18 years) undergoing percutaneous drain placement (Jan 2014 - Jan 2019).
- Comparison of "quick" MRI (axial SSFSE, coronal fat-sat SSFSE) versus CT for pre-procedural and follow-up imaging.
- Primary outcomes: additional drain placements, complications, hospitalization length, and 6-month repeat drainage rates.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed between "quick" MRI and CT for pre-drain placement regarding additional procedures (p=1), hospitalization (p=0.275), or complications (p=0.728).
- Post-drain placement "quick" MRI showed no increased rate of repeat drainage within 6 months compared to CT (p=0.90).
Conclusions:
- "Quick" MRI without contrast is a viable alternative to CT for pre- and post-percutaneous drainage procedures in pediatric patients.
- The imaging modality demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes, supporting its use in drain management.
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