MRI Abdomen

What an abdominal MRI shows

• Detailed pictures of the liver, pancreas, kidneys, gall-bladder, spleen and major blood vessels
• Soft-tissue contrast that can spot cysts, tumours, inflammation and blockages

Key advantages over CT & ultrasound

• Liver: size, texture, focal lesions
• Pancreas: head-body-tail dimensions, duct calibre
• Bile ducts & gall-bladder: stones, wall thickness, obstruction
• Spleen, kidneys & adrenal glands: masses, cysts, atrophy
• Major vessels & lymph nodes: aneurysms, thrombus, enlargement

• Staging cancers—liver, pancreatic, renal, lymphoma
• Evaluate chronic abdominal pain, infections or abscesses
• Follow-up after surgery, trauma or chemotherapy

Symptoms prompting the scan

• Persistent or unexplained abdominal pain
• Swelling, bloating or palpable mass
• Abnormal liver-function tests (LFTs) or tumour markers

Age & gender eligibility

• Adults of any age
• Children >5 years (light sedation available)
• Safe for pregnant women only after 1st trimester if clinically essential

• Zero radiation exposure—safe for repeated follow-ups
• High soft-tissue contrast—detect lesions as small as 3 mm
• Multi-planar imaging—guides surgeons and interventional radiologists

• Hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases
• Pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts & tumours
• Kidney masses, bile-duct obstruction, Crohn’s disease

• Fast 4 hours before contrast scans—clear fluids allowed
• Complete a metal-screening questionnaire
• Remove jewellery, belts, bras with underwires

• Recent serum creatinine report if gadolinium planned
• Signed consent for contrast administration
• Pregnancy declaration for women of child-bearing age

• Morning slots reduce bowel motion and improve image quality
• For women adding pelvic views, schedule during the post-menstrual week

• Weight limit: 150 kg with BMI-compatible coils
• Age: adults & children >5 years
• Sedation available for anxious or younger patients

1. Check-in & verification—ID, consent, fasting status
2. IV line inserted if contrast required
3. Positioning—lie supine, arms above head or at sides
4. Coil placement over the abdomen
5. Scan—25–40 min; brief breath-holds when instructed
6. Post-scan observation—15 min if contrast used, to watch for reactions

• Inform staff about tattoos with metal ink, implants, or previous contrast allergy
• Ask for oral or IV sedative if you feel claustrophobic—Cadabams Diagnostics arranges this in advance

MRI safety

• Pacemakers, cochlear implants, certain aneurysm clips—tell the technician.
• Claustrophobia: wide-bore scanners + music headsets minimise anxiety.

Limitations

• Motion artefacts from breathing or bowel movement
• Cost slightly higher than ultrasound
• Scan time 25–40 min vs 5 min for CT