MRI cholangiography with rapid spin-echo technique: prospective evaluation of 20 patients

• Published in: Journal de radiologie Vol. 79; no. 2; pp. 147 - 152
• Main Authors: Rondeau, Y, Soyer, P, Meduri, B, Spelle, L, Gouhiri, M, Aubert, A, Scherrer, A, Rymer, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.02.1998
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ampulla of Vater - pathology; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic - pathology; Cholangiography - methods; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Cholestasis, Extrahepatic - diagnosis; Cholestasis, Extrahepatic - etiology; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms - diagnosis; Female; Gallstones - diagnosis; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 0221-0363

To evaluate a MR cholangiographic technique using a non breath-hold fast spin-echo technique in patients with suspected bile duct obstruction. Twenty patients with suspected bile duct obstruction were prospectively investigated with MR cholangiography using a T2-weighted non breath-hold fast spin-echo technique (TR = 8000-9000 mse, effective TE = 120-266 msec, ETL = 16-32, acquisition time = 1-3 min) with a body coil. Results of MR cholangiography were compared to those obtained with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (n = 20 patients) and endoscopic sonography (n = 12 patients) that were considered as reference. MR cholangiography provided high-quality images in 19 out of 20 cases (95%). MR cholangiography had 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity and 100% accuracy in the diagnosis of bile duct dilation. MR cholangiography had 73% sensitivity, 75% specificity and 73% accuracy in the diagnosis of bile duct obstruction. MR cholangiography failed to depict small stones (< 3 mm) of the main bile duct in 4 cases in which no bile duct dilatation was found. MR cholangiography using a non breath-hold fast spin-echo technique depicts bile duct dilatation with a degree of accuracy comparable to that achieved with endoscopic examination. In the absence of bile duct dilatation, small stones of the main bile duct may be undetected with MR cholangiography.