title: Magnetic resonance cholangiography for the diagnosis of biliary atresia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) for the diagnosis of biliary atresia in infantile cholestatic jaundice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven consecutive infants with cholestatic jaundice underwent single-shot MRC. The diagnosis of biliary atresia was made by MRC based on the nonvisualization of extrahepatic bile ducts and excluded on the basis of the complete visualization of extrahepatic bile ducts. The final diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA group, n = 23) or nonbiliary atresia (NBA group, n = 24) was established by operation or clinical follow-up until the jaundice resolved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extrahepatic bile ducts including the gallbladder, the cystic duct, the common bile duct, and the common hepatic duct were visualized in 23 of the 24 infants of the NBA group. The extrahepatic bile ducts, except the gallbladder, were not depicted in any infant of the BA group. MRC had an accuracy of 98%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 96%, for diagnosis of biliary atresia as the cause of infantile cholestatic jaundice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRC is a very reliable noninvasive imaging modality for the diagnosis of biliary atresia. In infants with cholestatic jaundice and considered for exploratory laparotomy, MRC is recommended to avoid unnecessary surgery.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatric Surgery, Diagnostic Radiology, and Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Myung-Joon
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Airi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ki Sup
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Choon Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Dojoong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eui Ho
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology*; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity