MRCP evaluation of biliary system following vagotomy and gastric surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to show the usefulness of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in demonstrating biliary system pathologies in patients with a history of vagotomy and Billroth II operations.


METHODS
The hepatobiliary system of eight patients with a history of vagotomy and Billroth II operations was evaluated with MRCP. Three-dimensional fast spin-echo technique was used at a 1.0-T scanner with following parameters: TR=2857-4615 ms, TE=850-1117 ms, BW=31.2, FOV=40, 21-28 slices, NEX=0.5, scan time = 90 s.


RESULTS
Eight patients were evaluated with MRCP. Three patients had cholecystectomy. In one patient the gall bladder wall was thickened, accompanied with an irregular, unknown filling defect at the level of the fundus. Four of these patients had common bile duct stones. Two patients had gallstones and one patient had a stone in the common hepatic duct. A capping deformity of the distal common bile duct was observed in all of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that MRCP can be used effectively for evaluation of biliary system of patients with previous history of biliary or gastric operations.
Erden
Gül Ayse
GA
Department of Radiology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Kendi
A Tuba Karagülle
AT
Erden
Ilhan
I
D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000473:pathology*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis; D005763:Gastroenterostomy; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014628:Vagotomy