Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) uses MR imaging to visua lize fluid in the biliary and pancreatic ducts as high signal intensity on T2-weighted sequences: it is the newest modality for biliary and pancreatic duct imaging. MRCP is of proven utility in a variety of biliary and pancre atic diseases, including choledocholithiasis, congenital anatomic variants, chronic pancreatitis, post-cholecystectomy disorders, and neoplastic duct obstruction, MRCP is an evolving technique, but it has reached the stage of development where it is clinically useful and of comparable accuracy to co nventional cholangiography. With further progress, it is likely that by the start of the new millennium MRCP will replace diagnostic endoscopic retrog rade cholangiopancreatography as the modality of choice for imaging the bil iary and pancreatic ducts. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;9:157-162, (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.