An abdominal MRI provides detailed pictures of the belly area from many views. It is often used to clarify findings from earlier x-rays or CT scans.
This test may be used to look at:
Blood flow in the abdomen
Blood vessels in the abdomen
The cause of abdominal pain or swelling
The cause of abnormal blood test results, such as liver or kidney problems
Lymph nodes in the abdomen
MRI can distinguish tumors from normal tissues. This can help the doctor know more about the tumor such as size, severity, and spread. This is called staging.
MRI is sometimes used to avoid the dangers of angiography, too much radiation exposure, and allergies from iodine.