[MRI cholangiography with rapid spin-echo technique: prospective evaluation of 20 patients].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a MR cholangiographic technique using a non breath-hold fast spin-echo technique in patients with suspected bile duct obstruction.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Rondeau
Y
Y
Hôpital Foch, Suresnes.
Soyer
P
P
Meduri
B
B
Spelle
L
L
Gouhiri
M
M
Aubert
A
A
Scherrer
A
A
Rymer
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000473:pathology; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D002758:Cholangiography / Q000379:methods*; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Cholangio-IRM en écho de spin rapide: évaluation prospective chez 20 patients.