MR cholangiopancreatography after unsuccessful or incomplete ERCP.

PURPOSE

To assess the value of magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiopancreatography in patients in whom endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was unsuccessful or did not completely delineate ductal abnormalities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MR cholangiopancreatography was performed in 37 consecutive patients because ERCP was unsuccessful (n = 20), postsurgical biliary-enteric anatomy was present (n = 10), or evidence of complete pancreatic duct obstruction was found ar ERCP (n = 7).

RESULTS

MR cholangiopancreatography was successful in all patients. Eleven patients had normal MR findings and required no further intervention. Eight patients has abnormalities that were detected with MR but were followed up clinically. Eleven patients subsequently underwent laparotomy, three underwent therapeutic percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), two underwent diagnostic (PTC), and one underwent ultrasound-guided biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS

MR cholangiopancreatography plays an important role in the care of patients in whom ERCP is unsuccessful or incomplete and when technical difficulties can be anticipated.