Magnetic resonance nephrourography: current and developing techniques.

MR nephrourography (MRNU) makes it possible to obtain structural and functional data within a single imaging examination without using ionizing radiation. The functional data available with MRNU allows renal physiology to be examined in ways that were not possible previously. Coupled with the exquisite soft-tissue contrast provided by standard MR images, MRNU can provide a comprehensive study that yields critical diagnostic information on structural diseases of the kidneys and collecting system, including congenital and acquired diseases, and also on the full range of the causes of dysfunction in the transplanted kidney.