title: The value of pre-operative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in management of patients with gall stones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze influence of pre-operative MRCP on the management of patients with gall stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective randomized study was carried on 250 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 3 years. In group I, pre-operative MRCP was performed in 125 patients with age range of 18-62 years. Group II included 125 patients managed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy without doing pre-operative MRCP with age range of 21-65 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group I; pre-operative MRCP screening revealed clinically silent CBD stones in 5 patients (4%), accessory cystic duct in 2 (1.6%), abnormal insertion of cystic duct in 1 (0.8%). Postoperatively, bile duct injury was inflected in 1 patient in group I. On the other hand, there were 2 patients with bile duct injury and 5 patients with residual stones in group II. There was a statistically significant increase of post-operative complications in group II (p <or= 0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRCP is diagnostically useful in management of patients with gall stones prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy and its routine use can reduce the incidence of post-operative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufyia University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahram
authors.forename: Ghada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaballa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult