Preoperative evaluation of choledochal cyst with MR cholangiopancreatography.

The choledochal cyst is a rare congenital disorder usually diagnosed in chi ldhood. it requires a complete surgical resection to prevent complications particularly the risk of malignant changes. At present, the preoperative ex amination requires a direct opacification of the biliary tree, but this is an invasive technique with a high risk of infection, especially in pediatri c patients. Case report. - A choledochal cyst was diagnosed in a five-year-old girl wit h recurrent abdominal pain. Diagnosis was made by ultrasound and preoperati ve evaluation by magnetic resonance-cholangiopancreatography using single-s hot fast-spin echo sequences. A complete correlation was observed between s urgical, preoperative cholangiography and MRCP data. Conclusion. - Recent improvements in MRCP techniques provide a complete ana tomic analysis of choledochal cysts enabling one to diagnose an anomalous j unction of the pancreaticobiliary duct, even the presence of stones within the biliary tree. This short and noninvasive examination should in the futu re replace direct opacification of the biliary tree for the preoperative as sessment of choledochal cysts. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.