[The utilities and outlooks of MR cholangiography (MRCP) as a non contrast and noninvasive technique].

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is regarded as the diagnostic procedure of decision for abnormalities of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. However, ERCP is unsuccessful in 3-10% cases and is also associated with a 1-5% risk of producer-induced pancreatitis and other complications. MR cholangiography (MRCP) has recently developed as a noninvasive examination for evaluation of pancreaticobiliary diseases. Heavily T2-weighted fat-suppressed sequences are used to obtain these images. On MRCP, static fluid, such as bile or pancreatic juice represents hyperintense without injection of contrast medium. Therefore, MRCP could be examined in almost all patients including as infant or the patients of post reconstruction of gastrointestinal tract without any complication. In this paper, I described the several utilities and outlooks of MRCP as a noninvasive technique through the representative clinical applications.