Acute renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis. MR imaging of the kidney.

MR imaging of the kidney was performed in 6 patients with acute renal failure (ARF) secondary to rhabdomyolysis caused by snake bite (n = 4), crush injury (n = 1), and carbon monoxide poisoning (n = 1). A test for urine myoglobin was positive in all 6 patients and MR imaging was done 6 to 18 days after the causative event of the rhabdomyolysis. MR images in all 6 patients showed globular swelling of the kidneys, preserved corticomedullary contrast on T1-weighted images, and obliteration of corticomedullary contrast on T2-weighted images. Unlike other medical renal diseases in which corticomedullary contrast is lost on T1-weighted images, preservation of the corticomedullary contrast on T1-weighted MR images with globular renal swelling was a constant finding in patients with ARF secondary to rhabdomyolysis.