Choledocholithiasis after Billroth II surgery: MR cholangiographic diagnosis.
In this case of choledocholithiasis in a patient with previous Billroth-II surgery and cholecystectomy we demonstrate the advantages of a heavily T2-weighted half-Fourier turbo-spin-echo (HASTE) sequence. This technique allows thin-slice snapshot imaging with 1.4 s per slice eliminating motion artifacts and still has the necessary heavy T2-weighting to depict biliary fluid with high contrast. In the presented case endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) could not be performed prior to MRI due to technical problems. In a second attempt, ERCP was successful and a common bile duct stone as diagnosed by MRI before could be removed. We conclude that HASTE snapshot MR cholangiography can be used as a clinically valuable tool when other noninvasive methods are not diagnostic.
Holzknecht
N
N
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Gauger
J
J
Stehling
M K
MK
Weinzierl
M
M
Reiser
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology*; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*