Review
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2007; 13(18): 2529-2534
Published online May 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i18.2529
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A useful tool in the evaluation of pancreatic and biliary disorders
Ahmet Mesrur Halefoglu
Ahmet Mesrur Halefoglu, Department of Radiology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, 34360, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Ahmet Mesrur Halefoglu, MD, Department of Radiology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, 34360, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey. halefoglu@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-212-2795643 Fax: +90-212-2415015
Received: February 16, 2007
Revised: February 18, 2007
Accepted: March 21, 2007
Published online: May 14, 2007
Abstract

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is being used with increasing frequency as a noninvasive alternative to diagnostic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The aim of this pictorial review is to demonstrate the usefulness of MRCP in the evaluation of pancreatic and biliary system disorders. Because the recently developed techniques allows improved spatial resolution and permits imaging of the entire pancreaticobiliary tract during a single breath hold, MRCP is of proven utility in a variety of pancreatic and biliary disorders. It uses MR imaging to visualize fluid in the biliary and pancreatic ducts as high signal intensity on T2 weighted sequences and is the newest modality for pancreatic and biliary duct imaging. Herein, we present the clinical applications of MRCP in a variety of pancreaticobiliary system disorders and conclude that it is an important diagnostic tool in terms of imaging of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system.

Keywords: Bile ducts abnormalities, Bile ducts calculi, Bile ducts neoplasms, MR cholangiopancreatography, Pancreatic ducts, Pancreas, Neoplasms