Choledochal cyst: Comparison of MR and conventional cholangiography

AIMS: To assess the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiogr aphy versus conventional cholangiography in patients with choledochal cyst and to determine whether MR cholangiography can be considered an alternativ e to conventional cholangiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with choledochal cyst were examine d by MR cholangiography and conventional cholangiograms. Magnetic resonance cholangiography employed Ta-weighted axial and coronal fast spin-echo, sin gle and multislab single-shot fast spin-echo sequences, including source im ages with maximum intensity projections. The diagnostic value of MR cholang iography and conventional cholangiograms was assessed and compared using th e criteria of depiction of morphology, anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct un ion and demonstration of complications such as stones. A four-point diagnos tic scale was applied to the delineation of the ductal anatomy with the Wil coxon signed-ranks test and McNemar's test used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The depiction of the choledochal cyst was significantly better wit h MR cholangiography than with conventional cholangiography (P = 0.03). The detection rate of an anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union was not signi ficantly different with either method (P=0.641), nor was the detection rate of bile duct stones (P = 0.375), CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance cholangiography provides data equivalent to or superior to those from conventional cholangiography in evaluating choled ochal cyst. Magnetic resonance cholangiography is recommended as a non-inva sive examination of choice for the evaluation of choledochal cyst. Kim, S. H. rt al. (2000). Clinical Radiology 55, 378-383. (C) 2000 The Royal Colleg e of Radiologists.