title: Magnetic resonance study of the pancreatic duct.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to prospectively determine the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the evaluation of the normal and diseased pancreatic duct.
  
  
  METHODS
  patients seen during a 6-month period with a diagnosis of biliary tract or pancreatic disease underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after a previous MRCP. The pancreatic duct was evaluated with both techniques in 37 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the pancreatic duct appeared normal in ERCP in 27 patients, and also appeared normal in MRCP in 25 of these patients (specificity 93%). ERCP showed moderate-severe pancreatic duct dilation in 8 patients, in whom the same diagnosis was reached with MRCP (sensitivity 100%). The causes of dilation were chronic pancreatitis (2 patients), pancreatic cancer (3 patients) and ampullary tumor (2 patients); in 1 patient the findings with both techniques were suggestive of neoplasm of the head of the pancreas or focal chronic pancreatitis. Pancreas divisum was diagnosed in 2 patients by both methods, and the predominant dorsal duct as well as the ventral duct were visualized by MRCP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRCP is an accurate technique for evaluating the normal or diseased pancreatic duct, and for determining the underlying disease.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Digestivo, Hospital de Galdakao, Galdakao, Vizcaya, 48960, España.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heras
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Orive
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cabriada
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Astigarraga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies