Secretin-stimulated magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography of patients with unclear disease in the pancreaticobiliary tract.

PURPOSE: To explore the usefulness of secretin-stimulated magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP) on different pathological entities in the pancreaticobiliary tract (PBT) MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Sixty-two patients with unclear disease in the PBT were examined with S-MRCP as the final radiological procedure. Nine groups of referral diagnoses were identified, and clinical outcome was evaluated.

RESULTS

In five patients with suspected pancreatic duct injury after blunt abdominal trauma, a negative predictive value of 100% was found after a median of 3.5 months of follow-up. In 22 patients with residual pain after cholecystectomy, investigated for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), delayed dilatation of the PD and pain were documented in four patients. Three of these were treated with endoscopic papillotomy (EPT), and no recurrences were found during an average of 13.6 months of follow-up. Five cases of pancreas divisum not previously seen were identified, and of 12 patients with suspected postoperative stenosis, five were successfully treated after being identified with S-MRCP. Useful information was obtained in most of the patients, i.e., findings not observed in previous radiological examinations or clarifying uncertain previous findings. Nine patients were referred to other non-radiological examinations, identifying that the origin of disease was outside the PBT.

CONCLUSION

S-MRCP has the potential to become the final part of diagnostic workup in difficult PBT diseases, but further investigation of usefulness regarding different referral reasons is mandatory.