Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP): a perspective on potential clinical applications

The recent development of MRCP allowed the recognition of the potential role of Magnetic Resonance (MR) in pancreatobiliary imaging. The increasing interest on MRCP relies on its non invasiveness (there is no need for contrast media administration) and on the projectional display of the biliary and pancreatic ducts in a way similar to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC). In addition, it offers the opportunity for dynamic analysis of biliopancreatic ducts which is useful in the assessment of subtle ductal alterations. The future of this attractive technique will depend on the demonstration of its diagnostic accuracy and on its availability. This article discusses the potential role of MRCP in the evaluation of biliary tract and pancreatic duct diseases.