["Rare" urography by MRI: an alternative to IVU?]

The authors describe the technique of RARE sequences (Hennig, 1986) and their hydrographic application to urinary imaging, RARE urography. Heavily T2-weighted non-tomographic images of the urinary tract are obtained in less than 30 seconds, without contrast medium or ionizing radiation. The whole urinary tract is visualised on one image with a spatial resolution superior to that of sonography. The semiology of RARE urography is similar to that of the intravenous pyelogram. Silent kidneys are also visualised.