Alström syndrome. Potential changes detected in the examination of the abdomen and the retroperitoneal space using computed tomography and magnetic resonance Michał M. Skoczylas 1 , Nádia Marquette de Sousa 2 , Marcin Sawicki 1 , Anna Walecka 1 1 Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland, 2 Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí – UNIVAS (Sapucaí Valley University), Pouso Alegre, Brazil Key words Alström syndrome, symptomatology, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, rare disease Conclusions Due to the multiplicity of disorders in the course of this syndrome, the choice of technique and detailed examination procedure must be dependent on clinical symptoms. In the absence of developed models of diagnostic procedures, which is due to the low incidence of Alström syndrome, it is worth considering the use of procedures known from diagnosing of the similar disorders, e.g. visualization of kidney fibrosis by long diffusion tensor imaging MRI with spin-echo sequence known for diabetic nephropathy. Objective Alström syndrome it is characterized by numerous disorders affecting many organs, which causes difficulties in the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Added to this is the fact that this very rare disease entity is not commonly known to medical doctors and there is a shortage of diagnostic methods standardized for this diagnosis. Methods The study has a form of review of literature on the topic of morphological changes in abdomen and retroperitoneal space in a course of Alström syndrome. Results The results of the review of the literature document that hepatomegaly, chronic active hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular adenoma, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, chronic nephritis, narrowing of the ureteropelvic junctions, deformities of the calyceal system and fibrosis of the liver, the kidney and the adipose tissue and also portal hypertension (including splenomegaly and esophageal varices) are the potential changes that can be detected in the examination of the abdomen and the retroperitoneal space using computed tomography or magnetic resonance. Moreover scoliosis, present in the clinical picture of Alström syndrome, can potentially modify the position of the internal organs. The diagnostics for the qualification for liver and kidney transplantation requires a separated study. Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin