Evaluation of the biliary and pancreatic system with 2D SSFSE, breathhold 3D FRFSE and respiratory-triggered 3D FRFSE sequences.
OBJECTIVE
The authors compared biliary and pancreatic imaging obtained through 2D single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE), breath-hold 3D fast recovery fast spin-echo (FRFSE) and respiratory-triggered 3D FRFSE sequences.


METHODS
A total of 106 magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) examinations performed between December 2007 and September 2008 were evaluated with a comparison of 2D SSFSE (thin section and thick slab), breath-hold 3D FRFSE and respiratory-triggered 3D FRFSE sequences. The biliary tract was divided into seven segments: right hepatic duct, left hepatic duct, common hepatic duct, cystic duct, common bile duct, cystic duct junction and biliary-pancreatic confluence. The main pancreatic duct was divided into three segments (head, body and tail). Visualisation of biliary variants was also compared. Two blinded radiologists evaluated segment visibility using a quantitative scale. The Student's t test for paired samples was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Compared with 2D SSFSE, respiratory-triggered 3D FRFSE sequences showed better visibility of the right hepatic duct (p=0.0277), the cystic duct (p=0.0081), the cystic duct junction (p=0.0010), the biliary-pancreatic confluence (p=0.0334) and biliary variants (p=0.0198). In the comparison between breath-hold 3D FRFSE and 2D SSFSE, a significant statistical difference was found in visualisation of the cystic duct (p=0.027), the cystic duct junction (p=0.020), the biliary-pancreatic confluence (p=0.0338) and biliary variants (p=0.0311).


CONCLUSIONS
Three-dimensional FRFSE offers a significant benefit over conventional 2D imaging.
Palmucci
S
S
Sezione di Scienze Radiologiche, Dipartimento DOGIRA, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania, Italy. spalmucci@sirm.org
Mauro
L A
LA
Coppolino
M
M
Musumeci
A G
AG
Foti
P V
PV
Milone
P
P
Ettorre
G C
GC
D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055425:Respiratory-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods