[A mannitol solution as an oral contrast medium in pelvic MRT].
Parole chiave
Astratto
OBJECTIVE
Improvement of pelvic MRI using peroral administration of an aqueous mannitol solution.
METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated magnetic resonance examinations of 72 patients with suspected or proven pelvic abnormalities: In 36 patients, no bowel marking was carried out. In further 36 patients, we performed a contrast enhancement of the bowel by oral application of 1000 ml of an aqueous mannitol solution.
RESULTS
8/36 (22%) patients suffered from diarrhoea, nausea or meteorism as a result of mannitol application. In group 2, an excellent bowel marking of the small intestine could be obtained in 36/36 (100%) patients. Contrast enhancement of the bowel significantly improved delineation between intestinal structures and pelvic organs or pathologic lesions, respectively. In summary, bowel marking was desirable in 25/36 (69%) of group 1 and helpful in 26/36 (72%) of group 2.
CONCLUSIONS
Aqueous mannitol solution is a safe bowel contrast agent and improves the diagnostic value of pelvic MRI, but in some cases delineation between marked bowel and cystic pelvic lesions may be uncertain.
