Cross-sectional imaging plays a crucial role in the triage of patients with acute abdominal pain. Ionizing radiation exposure is a recognized drawback of computed tomography (CT), the primary imaging technique. MR imaging is a promising alternative to CT; it provides excellent image quality with high-contrast resolution without the disadvantages of ionizing radiation and iodinated contrast. This article provides a basic overview of the typical MR findings of the most frequent disease entities encountered in the setting of the nontraumatic acute abdomen, including direct comparison with CT findings to familiarize the readers with these same findings on MR.
