Influence of paramagnetic contrast on single-shot MRCP image quality.

To assess the ability of gadolinium enhancement to suppress the overlapping vessel signals that diminish the image quality of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), we obtained MRCP before and after intravenous injection of gadolinium. Signal intensity ratio of the common bile duct to the main pancreatic duct was significantly improved after the injection of contrast media. The image quality of the postcontrast MRCP was better than that of the precontrast one.