title: A new approach for diagnosis of hepatolithiasis: magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: potential usefulness of dehydrocholic acid (DHCA) administration in the evaluation of hepatolithiasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether exogenous dehydrocholic acid (DHCA) was useful to enhance the delineation of hepatolithiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study population comprised 9 patients. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) was acquired before and after the administration of DHCA. Two different MRCP snap-shot techniques were applied: thick-slab two-dimensional (2D) (coronal) single shot turbo spin echo T2-weighted sequences and multisection thin-slab, 2D (coronal) single shot turbo spin echo T2-weighted sequences with three-dimensional (3D) maximum intensity projection (MIP) post processing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DHCA provided a better visualization of hepatolithiasis in 8 of 9 cases (88.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was suggested that administration of DHCA could enhance the delineation of the hepatolithiasis on MRCP images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology (K1), Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuou-ku, Chiba City, 260-8670, Japan. sakai4754@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuyuguchi
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yukisawa
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Harutoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyakawa
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebara
authors.forename: Hiroi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikehira
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Obata
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods*; D003685:Dehydrocholic Acid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D003685:Dehydrocholic Acid