THEIRM is a diagnostic examination which makes it possible to discriminate the different soft tissue and detect any anomalies.

Abdomino-pelvic MRI involves visualizing the organs of the abdominal area (liver, small intestine, stomach, pancreas, colon, rates, waist) and some pelvic area (bladder, urethra, uterus, vagina, ovary, uterine tubes, seminal vesicles, prostate, rectum), but also the veins and arteries. The patient is installed in a cylindrical device involving a magnetic field and radio waves and allowing images to be taken in any plane of space.

MRI is used to clarify a diagnosis, after an ultrasound or a CT scan, but it is also used as a means of monitoring after surgical treatment, for example.

The doctor will be able to appreciate the morphology of the organs of the abdomen and the pelvic area, as well as of the blood vessels. MRI can therefore be prescribed in the following cases:

• to better understand the cause of certain symptoms, such as abdominal pain, for an swelling, or a hip pain unexplained

• a cas de injury or trauma in the abdominal or pelvic region

• a cas de difficulty urinating

• in case of suspicion of cancer or known cancer (to assess extension)

• in case of’endometriosis, in women (= extension, outside the uterus, of cells of the uterine lining)

• a cas de cryptorchidie, in men (= testicular migration anomaly: a testicle has not descended into the scrotum)

• or in case ofinfertility.

The patient is placed on a narrow table capable of sliding into the cylindrical apparatus to which it is connected. The medical staff, placed in another room, manages the movements of the table on which the patient is lying using a remote control and communicates with him through a microphone.

Several series of cuts are made, according to all plans of the space. It is better to know that while taking the pictures, the machine makes loud noises.

The patient may be asked to stop breathing for short periods of time, so that the image capture is of the best possible quality.

In some cases (to check blood circulation, the presence of certain types of tumors or to discern an area ofinflammation), a dye can be used. It is then injected into a vein before the exam.

The images obtained by abdomino-pelvic MRI allow the doctor to diagnose several conditions, among others:

• cancer of an organ of the digestive, urinary or reproductive system

• a swelling in the wall of a blood vessel (aneurysm), a blockage or narrowing of a blood vessel

• a blockage of the bile ducts

• a avascular necrosis (death of bone tissue due to lack of blood supply)

• a congenital malformation of the hip joint, a hip fracture

• a ovarian abnormality (in women)
• etc.