[Clinical applications of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography]

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is the most important diagnostic alternative that has been developed in recent years for the evaluation of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. The advantages of this technique are: it does not use contrast media or ionizing radiation; it is noninvasive and complication free; and, the examination is relatively short (approximately 20 to 30 minutes). MRCP has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing biliary dilatation and for determining the site and cause of stenosis. Its diagnostic precision for biliary and pancreatic stones is similar to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). MRCP has replaced ERCP in biliary and pancreatic anatomic variants. In unsuccessful ERCP, MRCP is nearly the only diagnostic modality for the evaluation of the biliary tract. Other applications include primary sclerosing cholangitis, stenosis after liver transplantation, and the evaluation of bilioenteric anastomoses. This article reviews the clinical applications of MRCP in the evaluation of biliopancreatic diseases.