[A meta-analysis of clinical efficiency of two methodologies of cholangiopancreatography].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficiency of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in patients with suspected biliary tract or pancreatic diseases.


METHODS
Find those prospective comparison trials about the efficiency of ERCP and MRCP in patients with suspected biliary tract or pancreatic diseases from many kinds of database, such as MEDLINE, EMBASE and so on. According to inclusion criteria, two operant choose suitable papers for this study. Collect corresponding original data and make a meta-analysis to compare the sensitivity and specificity of ERCP and MRCP in choledocholithiasis, strictures and malignant tumor.


RESULTS
Finally we get 6 articles from 302 ones. To diagnose choledocholithiasis, strictures and malignant tumor, the difference of sensitive between ERCP's and MRCP's is not significant. When it comes to the specificity of ERCP and MRCP in those diseases, ERCP is better than MRCP only in strictures, OR is 6.17 (95% CI 1.35-20.24), P = 0.02. However, we find ERCP is better than MRCP not only in total sensitivity but specificity of biliary tract or pancreatic diseases, OR is 1.72 (95% CI 1.04-2.85) and 4.05 (95% CI 1.32-12.42) respectively, P = 0.04, 0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
ERCP is better than MRCP, to biliary tract or pancreatic diseases, in not only sensitivity but specificity. Doctors should think much about patients' situation, tolerance and cost-effectiveness, when they make a decision which examination should patients take.
Hou
Jing
J
Department of Digestive, Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
Zhan
Jun
J
Yu
Zhong
Z
Li
Chu-qiang
CQ
Zhang
Shi-neng
SN
Liang
Han-lin
HL
D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity