title: Contribution of magnetic resonance cholangiography to the anatomic study of bile ducts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Until recently, in-depth anatomic study of the biliopancreatic ducts was only possible with injection-corrosion techniques or peroperative radiology. These were tedious and tributary of the quality of anatomic specimens. Since 1990, a new minimally invasive technique has been available: nuclear magnetic resonance cholangiography (NMRCP). The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and the results of NMRCP applied to the study of the biliopancreatic tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  NMRCP was performed in 50 healthy volunteers and results were interpreted by two readers in consensus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NMRCP showed the common bile, left hepatic and paramedian ducts in 100% of cases. The right hepatic duct was seen in 78% of cases. The lateral duct was seen in 98% of cases. Segmental ducts were found in 68 to 78% of cases for segments II, III, VI, VII and VIII. Only 18% of ducts for segment I were found. The gallbladder was seen in only 72% of cases. The cystic duct was clearly seen in 64% of cases. The hepato-pancreatic duct was seen in 82% of cases. In 70% of cases, distribution of the hepatic ducts was modal. The remaining 30% displayed variations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anatomic and radiological results reported in our study of 50 cases demonstrate the excellent feasibility and reliability of magnetic resonance cholangiography applied to the anatomic study of the bile ducts. We suggest that a wide scale multicenter study in living healthy individuals may be worth considering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Angers, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aube
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tuech
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Delorme
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Arnaud
authors.forename: Henri-Dominique
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Papon
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mercier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002758:Cholangiography / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity