title: Impact of butylscopolamine on image quality of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of parenteral butylscopolamine on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) image quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 3D free-breathing respiratory-compensated MRCP images (mean acquisition time 7min) of 94 consecutive non-paired patients (47 with and 47 without 20mg intramuscular butylscopolamine) were analysed retrospectively. Two experienced abdominal radiologists scored the image quality of five predefined pancreaticobiliary ductal segments on the MRCP images in a blinded fashion in both cohorts using a 5 point validated scale, ranging from perfect visualization of the entire ductal structure to the ductal structure being not visible. Interobserver agreement was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parenteral butylscopolamine injection significantly reduced bowel peristalsis-related artefacts of the inferior common bile duct (CBD; p=0.031) and the pancreatic duct (PD; p=0.034) for reader 1 and the inferior CBD (p=0.041) for reader 2. The difference in visualization of all remaining ductal segments, and of the overall pancreaticobiliary tree, was not statistically significant between the two cohorts. Interobserver agreement between the two readers was substantial for the superior CBD, common hepatic duct (CHD) and PD, was moderate for the inferior CBD, and was fair for the peripheral intrahepatic ducts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On free-breathing 3D MRCP images, parenteral butylscopolamine improves only the visualization of the inferior CBD and the PD. However, no significant improvement in visualization of other ductal segments was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, 169608, Singapore. nandashettykv@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nanda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Venkatanarasimha
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Errol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Anish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirpalani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide