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Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography at 3T in a single breath-hold: comparative effectiveness between
Cheng-Ping Chien1,2, Feng-Mao Chiu3, Yen-Chun Shen2
1Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617.
Background:
To compare the depiction conspicuity of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) based on gradient- and spin-echo (GRASE) and two-dimensional (2D) thick-slab MRCP using fast spin-echo (FSE) in different segments of hepatic and pancreatic ducts at 3T.
Methods:
Both 3D GRASE and 2D thick-slab FSE MRCP, with parameters adjusted under the constraints of specific absorption rate and scan time within single breath-hold, were performed for 95 subjects (M/F =49:46; age range, 25-75) at 3T. Conspicuity of eight ductal segments was graded by two experienced raters using a 4-point score. Situations where one technique is superior or inferior to the other were recorded.
Results:
3D GRASE MRCP outperformed 2D thick-slab FSE MRCP in the common bile duct and common hepatic ducts (both with P<0.001), but compared inferiorly in the right hepatic ducts (P<0.001), right posterior hepatic ducts (P<0.005) and pancreatic duct distal (P<0.05). Performing both 3D and 2D MRCP would reduce the number of non-diagnostic readings in the left hepatic duct to 10 remaining (5.3%), compared with 31 (16.3%) or 21 (11.1%) out of 190 readings if using 3D GRASE or 2D thick-slab FSE alone, respectively.
Conclusions:
Although 3D GRASE MRCP is preferential to visualize the common bile duct and common hepatic duct within one single breath-hold, the complementary role of 2D thick-slab FSE MRCP in smaller hepatic and pancreatic ducts makes it a useful adjunct if performed additionally.
