What is magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and how does it compare to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)?
- MRCP is a noninvasive way to evaluate the hepatobiliary tract using heavily T2-w images. MRCP can reliably demonstrate the CBD, the pancreatic duct, the cystic duct, and aberrant hepatic ducts, and can differentiate dilated from normal ducts.
- MRCP exceeds the accuracy of CT and US in detecting choledocholithiasis, because CBD stones do not always exhibit acoustic shadowing. This is one reason why US is only 60% to 70% accurate in detecting CBD stones
- MRCP is comparable to ERCP in detecting choledocholithiasis and extrahepatic strictures, and in diagnosing extrahepatic biliary and pancreatic duct abnormalities
