Renal Functional MRI and Its Application

Renal function varies according to the nature and stage of diseases. Renal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a technique considered superior to the most common method used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate, allows for noninvasive, accurate measurements of renal structures and functions in both animals and humans. It has become increasingly prevalent in research and clinical applications. In recent years, renal fMRI has developed rapidly with progress in MRI hardware and emerging postprocessing algorithms. Function‐related imaging markers can be acquired via renal fMRI, encompassing water molecular diffusion, perfusion, and oxygenation. This review focuses on the progression and challenges of the main renal fMRI methods, including dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI, blood oxygen level‐dependent MRI, diffusion‐weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, arterial spin labeling, fat fraction imaging, and their recent clinical applications. Level of Evidence : 5 Technical Efficacy : Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;48:863–881.