[MR cholangiopancreatography using respiratory triggered half-Fourier RARE technique]

We evaluate the usefulness of MRCP using respiratory triggered HASTE technique in 68 patients. Eleven subsequent slices were obtained for MRCP. To determine the optimal trigger rate, MRCP with various trigger rates were compared in 25 patients. Respiratory triggered MRCP and breath hold MRCP were compared in 68 patients. Respiratory triggered MRCP was also performed in 3 infants. The optimal trigger rate was 10%. In 17 patients who could not stop their breath for 10 seconds, respiratory triggered MRCP were better than breath hold MRCP in 14 (82%) for the source images and in 17 (100%) for the MIP images. Respiratory triggered MRCP could depict cystic duct and main pancreatic duct even in 14 month infant. MRCP with high spatial resolution could be obtained with respiratory triggered HASTE technique in critically ill, or non-cooperative patients.