Radiology, Vol 155, 705-708, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Fluid collections in the intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal spaces: comparison of MR and CT
JM Cohen, JC Weinreb and KR Maravilla
Fourteen patients with abnormal subdiaphragmatic fluid collections (eight
intraperitoneal, two extraperitoneal, and four intra- and extraperitoneal)
were examined with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR)
imaging. MR and CT provided equivalent information concerning the presence
and extent of fluid collections in 13 of the 14 cases. Image acquisitions
with two different repetition times (TRs) and two echo times (TEs) were
necessary, in most cases, to detect and discriminate between different
types of pathologic fluids. Transudative ascites demonstrated long T1 and
T2 relaxation times, whereas abscesses, phlegmon, pancreatic pseudocyst,
exudative pancreatitis, and chronic hematoma demonstrated an intermediate
or short T1 and a long T2.
