Purpose: To determine the value of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect renal duplication.Methods: In this retrospective study, prenatal MRI and ultrasound (US) diagnoses were compared with postnatal imaging and/or surgical data. Twenty-six pregnant women (average age, 32 years; range, 29-36 years) underwent MRI at a mean gestational age of 25 weeks (range, 21-33 weeks). MRI was performed with a 1.5-T unit within 1 week after prenatal ultrasound examination. The steady-state free-precession (SSFP), single-shot turbo spin echo (SSTSE), and T1-weighted fast imaging sequences were used.Results: Twenty-four cases of fetal renal duplications diagnosed using prenatal MRI were judged to be correct when compared with postnatal imaging and surgical follow-up. In 18 of 26 cases, the diagnoses established using prenatal US were correct when compared with postnatal diagnosis. In 2 of 26 cases, the diagnosis with both prenatal US and MRI were not entirely correct when compared with postnatal diagnosis. In the two cases, magnetic resonance (MR) identified left two pelvicalyceal systems but could not found ipsilateral ectopic ureteral orifice, US only found left hydronephrosis but could not found duplex collection system. In other six cases, MR corrected the US diagnosis by providing a more accurate renal morphology or additional diagnostic information.Conclusions: MRI is an effective method for the diagnosis of fetal duplex kidney deformity and associated ureteral and other abnormalities.
Keywords: Fetus; magnetic resonance imaging; prenatal diagnosis; renal duplication.