MRi cholangiography with rapid spin-echo technique: prospective evaluation of 20 patients
Rondeau, Y.; Soyer, P.; Meduri, B.; Spelle, L.; Gouhiri, M.; Aubert, A.; Scherrer, A.; Rymer, R.
Journal de Radiologie 79(2): 147-152
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0221-0363 PMID: 9757232 Document Number: 488278
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.