MR imaging of the gallbladder

Implementation of fast T1- and T2-weighted sequences on state-of-the-art magnetic resonance (MR) imagers increases the potential of MR imaging for examining the gallbladder and permits imaging of both cooperative and acutely ill patients with fewer artifacts. Comprehensive evaluation of gallbladder and biliary tract disease is feasible on new generation MR scanners using MR cholangiographic techniques in combination with tissue imaging sequences (spoiled gradient-echo and fat-suppressed spoiled gradient-echo) and dynamic intravenous gadolinium-chelate administration. Inflammatory and neoplastic diseases of the gallbladder are well shown with these techniques.