MR cholangiography in neonates and infants: feasibility and preliminary applications.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of MR cholangiography in showing the biliary tree in neonates and infants and to show preliminary applications in a pediatric population.


METHODS
MR cholangiography was performed with T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences (8000/300 [TR/TE], six or eight excitations). The study included seven patients with suspected bile duct disorders and 10 control individuals.


RESULTS
In the control group, the extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBDs) were revealed by MR cholangiography in all patients. In one of the five patients with neonatal cholestasis, biliary atresia was excluded by identifying the entire EHBD on MR cholangiograms. In the four other patients with neonatal cholestasis, biliary atresia was suspected because the EHBD could not be seen on MR cholangiography. The diagnosis was confirmed in three of these four patients, in whom the MR finding was associated with significant periportal thickening. In the remaining patient, in whom periportal thickening was not seen, sclerosing cholangitis was diagnosed on biopsy. In the sixth patient with neonatal cholestasis, who had received a liver transplant, MR cholangiography showed biliary dilatation above the biliary-digestive anastomosis. In the seventh patient, a neonate with a prenatal diagnosis of hepatic cyst, MR cholangiography showed a choledochal cyst.


CONCLUSIONS
MR cholangiography may become an important diagnostic tool in the detection of biliary atresia, congenital choledochal dilatation, and biliary complications in hepatic transplantation for pediatric patients.
Guibaud
L
L
Pediatric Imaging Department, Hôpital Debrousse, Université Lyon-Sud, France.
Lachaud
A
A
Touraine
R
R
Guibal
A L
AL
Pelizzari
M
M
Basset
T
T
Pracros
J P
JP
D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015529:Choledochal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male