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MR TOPICS   

MR Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) 

MR Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a method of depicting the biliary tree and the pancreatic duct non-invasively and without the injection of contrast medium.  The study can be acquired during quiet breathing, which improves the versatility of the technique because patients can be imaged regardless of their ability to breath-hold.¹ 

THE CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF MRCP INCLUDE²:

• Choledocholithiasis

• Incomplete or failed ERCP

• Post-surgical alteration of the biliary tract

• Intrahepatic bile duct pathology, e.g., sclerosing cholangitis and AIDS cholangiopathy

• Chronic Pancreatitis

• Congenital anomalies of the biliary tract and pancreatic duct

• Gallbladder pathology

Growth and Change of MRCP

In 1996, MRCP was considered an exciting new application of MR imaging.  During that time, in its infancy, it was not known whether it could replace traditional techniques such as diagnostic ERCP.³

Since then, "MRCP has been rapidly and widely employed as the primary method for imaging the biliary and pancreatic ducts and has become competitive with ERCP."⁴  "MRCP is not limited to anatomical evaluations; it can also yield physiologic and functional information.  From a cost-performance basis, MRCP is undoubtedly superior to direct methods."⁵  

Today, MRCP represents a new development in MR technology that provides a non-invasive accurate means of evaluation of the biliary tree and pancreatic duct.⁶ 

¹Reinhold, C., Bret, P.M. "Current Status of MR Cholangiopancreatography", American Journal of Roentgenology 1996, June.; 166(6):  1285-95.

²Fulcher, A.S., Turner, M.A., Zfass, A.M.; "MRCP:  A New Technique for Evaluation of the Biliary Tract and Pancreatic Duct," Gastroenterologist, 1988 Mar; 6(1):82-7.

³Reinhold, C., Bret, P.M., 1285

⁴Ferrucci, J.T., Radiographics, "Advances in Abdominal MR Imaging" 1998 Nov-Dec;18(6):1569-86.

⁵Takehara, Y., J. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, "Can MRCP Replace ERCP?" 1998 May-Jun;8(3):517-34.

⁶Fulcher, A.S., Turner, M.A., Zfass, A.M.; 87.

 

MVHS - Your Neighborhood MRI Provider