title: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using new negative per-oral contrast agent based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for extrahepatic biliary duct visualization in liver cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is often used for imaging of the biliary tree and is required by surgeons before liver transplantation. Advanced liver cirrhosis and ascites in patients however present diagnostic problems for MRCP. The aim of this study was to find out if the use of our negative per-oral contrast agent containing superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO) in MRCP is helpful for imaging of hepatobiliary tree in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with liver cirrhosis were examined on a 1.5 T MR unit using standard MRCP protocol. Twenty patients (group A) underwent MRCP after administration of per-oral SPIO contrast agent 30 min before examination. In group B, twenty patients were examined without per-oral bowel preparation. Ascites was present in eleven patients from group A and in thirteen patients in group B. Four radiologists analyzed MR images for visibility and delineation of the biliary tree. χ2tests were used for comparison of the visibility of intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary ducts in patients with and without ascites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Better extrahepatic biliary duct visualization and visibility of extraluminal pathologies in patients with ascites was proved after administration of SPIO contrast agent. No statistically significant difference between group A and B was found for visualization of extrahepatic biliary ducts in patients without ascites. Delineation of intrahepatic biliary ducts was independent on bowel preparation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of our negative per-oral SPIO contrast agent before MRCP improves the visualization of extrahepatic biliary ducts in patients with ascites which is helpful during the liver surgery, mainly in liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Departments of Physical Chemistry and Experimental Physics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polakova
authors.affiliation: Medihope s.r.o., Mathonova 291/1, 796 04 Prostejov, Czech Republic.|Department of Radiology, F.D.Roosevelt Faculty Hospital, Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mocikova
authors.affiliation: Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Purova
authors.affiliation: Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tucek
authors.affiliation: Medihope s.r.o., Mathonova 291/1, 796 04 Prostejov, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, F.D.Roosevelt Faculty Hospital, Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Novotna
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, F.D.Roosevelt Faculty Hospital, Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, F.D.Roosevelt Faculty Hospital, Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Radoslav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bielik
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Departments of Physical Chemistry and Experimental Physics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radek
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zboril
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miroslav
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide
keywords: ascites; cirrhosis; liver transplantation; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP); per-oral MR contrast agent; superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles