title: MR cholangiopancreatography: evaluation of common pancreatic diseases.
abstract: In the evaluation of common pancreatic diseases, MRCP is a noninvasive alternative to ERCP. Ductal anatomy can be ascertained without risk of complications. MRCP is valuable in defining common anatomic variants, determining the state of the pancreatic duct in pancreatitis, and characterizing neoplasms, especially combined with other MR imaging sequences. With the advent of MRCP, techniques requiring endoscopy and percutaneous access are largely reserved for histologic diagnosis and treatment, or for cases in which MRCP fails to establish a diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 601 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. lfayad1@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fayad
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media