Pancreaticobiliary disorders: comparison between magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography images before and after fentanyl injection.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to determine the effects of intravenous fentanyl on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography image quality in the treatment of pancreaticobiliary disorders.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Forty consecutive patients referred for the evaluation of pancreaticobiliary disorders underwent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the coronal and oblique-coronal planes before and after fentanyl injection (every 2 up to 9 min). The images were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Diameter and signal intensity were measured at the widest point and distal to the common bile duct and main pancreatic duct.

RESULTS

The mean common bile duct diameters at the widest and distal points and mean pancreatic duct diameter were measured 7.53, 4.72, and 2.14 and 8.33, 5.35, and 2.57 before and after fentanyl injection, respectively. Mean signal intensity at the widest and distal point of the common bile duct and mean pancreatic duct signal intensity measured 278, 199, and 113 and 296, 218, and 121 before and after fentanyl injection, respectively. Minor improvements in image quality were detected qualitatively.

CONCLUSION

Fentanyl injection improves images qualitatively and quantitatively. In agreement with previous studies, our results confirm the beneficial effects of fentanyl as a simple adjunct to traditional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.