Role of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in diagnosing choledochal cysts: Case series and review

Table 2 Contrasts, relative disadvantages, and contraindications for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

MRCP	ERCP
Highlight any structure with static fluid	Requires opacification with injected contrast media
Noninvasive so safe esp. in children and pregnant patients	Invasive
Lower cost, faster	20% more expensive than MRCP
No sedation except in few patients	Sedation required
Delineate structures proximal to obstruction.	May fail in patients because of possible tight stricture
No therapeutic intervention	Therapeutic intervention possible
Doesnot use iodine-based com pounds	Requires iodine-based compound usage
Disadvantages
Duct images obscured by other fluid structures	Risk of pancreatitis
(renal cysts, ascites, pseudocyst)	Intraluminal bleeding
Image artifacts from stents, clips, etc.	Duodenal perforation
	Bile leaks
	Stent migration
Contraindications
Claustrophobic patient	Patient with previous biliary or gastric surgery
Patients with ferromagnetic implants	Patients with high risk profile for general anesthesia

MRCP: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography; ERCP: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.