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Objective: To retrospectively compare inter- and intra-reader agreement of abbreviated MRCP (aMRCP) with comprehensive MRI (cMRCP) protocol for detection of worrisome features, high-risk stigmata, and concomitant pancreatic cancer in pancreatic cyst surveillance., Methods: 151 patients (104 women, mean age: 69[10] years) with baseline and follow-up contrast-enhanced MRIs were included. This comprised 138 patients under cyst surveillance with 5-year follow-up showing no pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), 6 with pancreatic cystic lesion-derived malignancy, and 7 with concomitant PDAC. The aMRCP protocol used four sequences (axial and coronal Half-Fourier Single-shot Turbo-spin-Echo, axial T1 fat-saturated pre-contrast, and 3D-MRCP), while cMRCP included all standard sequences, including post-contrast. Three blinded abdominal radiologists assessed baseline cyst characteristics, worrisome features, high-risk stigmata, and PDAC signs using both aMRCP and cMRCP, with a 2-week washout period. Intra- and inter-reader agreement were calculated using Fleiss' multi-rater kappa and Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated., Results: Cyst size, growth, and abrupt main pancreatic duct transition had strong intra- and inter-reader agreement. Intra-reader agreement was ICC = 0.93-0.99 for cyst size, ICC = 0.71-1.00 for cyst growth, and kappa = 0.83-1.00 for abrupt duct transition. Inter-reader agreement for cyst size was ICC = 0.86 (aMRCP) and ICC = 0.83 (cMRCP), and for abrupt duct transition was kappa = 0.84 (aMRCP) and kappa = 0.69 (cMRCP). Thickened cyst wall, mural nodule and cyst-duct communication demonstrated varying intra-reader agreements and poor inter-reader agreements., Conclusion: aMRCP showed high intra- and inter-reader agreement for most pancreatic cyst parameters that highly rely on T2-weighted sequences., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The rising incidence combined with pregnancy-related physiological changes make gallbladder and biliary pathology high on the differential for pregnant patients presenting with right upper abdominal pain. Imaging plays a crucial role in determining surgical versus non-surgical management in pregnant patients with biliary or gallbladder pathology. Ultrasound (first-line) and magnetic resonance with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (second-line) are the imaging techniques of choice in pregnant patients with suspected biliary pathology due to their lack of ionizing radiation. MRI/MRCP offers an excellent non-invasive imaging option, providing detailed anatomical detail without known harmful fetal side effects. This article reviews physiological changes in pregnancy that lead to gallstone and biliary pathology, key imaging findings on US and MRI/MRCP, and management pathways., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) has become a widely accepted noninvasive diagnostic tool in the assessment of pancreatic and biliary disease. MRCP essentially exploits extended T2 relaxation times of slow-moving fluid and delineates the outline of biliary and pancreatic ducts on T2-weighted images. In order to maximize the clinical implication of MRCP, it is of utmost importance for radiologists to optimize the acquisition technique, be aware of patient-related factors and physiologic changes than can affect its performance and interpretation. It is critical to understand the most common artifacts and pitfalls encountered during acquisition and interpretation of MRCP. We provide a general overview of the different pitfalls encountered in MRCP and pearls on how to manage them in real-world practice., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Define relationships between quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics and clinical/laboratory data in a pediatric and young adult cohort with autoimmune liver disease (AILD)., Materials and Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study was institutional review board-approved. Patients enrolled in an institutional AILD registry were divided into groups: (1) autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or (2) primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)/autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC). Participants underwent serum liver biochemistry testing and research MRI examinations, including 3D magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), and iron-corrected T1 mapping (cT1). MRCP + and LiverMultiScan (Perspectum Ltd., Oxford, UK) were used to post-process 3D MRCP and cT1 data. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess relationships., Results: 58 patients, 35 male, median age 16 years were included; 30 in the AIH group, 28 in the PSC/ASC group. After statistical adjustments for patient age, sex, presence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specific diagnosis (PSC/ASC vs. AIH), and time from diagnosis to MRI examination, left hepatic bile duct maximum diameter was a statistically significant predictor of whole liver mean cT1, cT1 interquartile range (IQR), and MRE liver stiffness (p = 0.01-0.04). Seven laboratory values were significant predictors of whole liver cT1 IQR (p < 0.0001-0.04). Eight laboratory values and right hepatic bile duct median and maximum diameter were significant predictors of liver stiffness (p < 0.0001-0.03)., Conclusions: Bile duct diameters and multiple laboratory biomarkers of liver disease are independent predictors of liver stiffness and cT1 IQR in pediatric patients with AILD., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Purpose: To compare quantitative biliary measurements obtained with three different magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) acquisition methods., Methods: This retrospective study was IRB-approved. Patients with combinations of clinically indicated 3D FSE MRCP with sensitivity encoding (SENSE), 3D FSE SENSE MRCP with compressed sensing (CS-FSE; acceleration factor 8), and 3D gradient and spin-echo (GRASE) MRCP, acquired between October 2018 and March 2020, were included. The MRCP + Tuning Threshold algorithm (Perspectum Ltd., Oxford, UK) was used to segment 3D biliary models from MRCP data, with multiple metrics quantified from the models. Single measure, two-way, mixed-effects intra-class correlations, Bland-Altman analyses, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare quantitative measurements., Results: From 160 MRCP datasets (25 3D FSE, 67 3D CS-FSE, 68 3D GRASE) in 69 patients, 48 datasets (7 [28%] 3D FSE, 14 [21%] 3D CS-FSE, 27 [40%] 3D GRASE) failed post-processing due to motion artifacts. The remaining 112 MRCP datasets (18 3D FSE, 53 3D CS-FSE, 41 3D GRASE) from 60 patients were included in the analysis. There was good to excellent agreement between 3D FSE and 3D CS-FSE MRCP for diameter of the left and right hepatic ducts, biliary volume, number and length of ducts, and total length of dilations (ICC: 0.83-0.93). The only metrics that exhibited good agreement between 3D FSE and 3D GRASE MRCP were biliary volume (ICC: 0.75) and total number of dilations (ICC: 0.77)., Conclusion: 3D CS-FSE MRCP produces comparable biliary diameter metrics and global duct quantification to 3D FSE MRCP at a significantly reduced acquisition time., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) remains a diagnostic challenge as clinical symptoms are non-specific, histopathological appearances are varied and pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Multiple classifications and grading systems have been proposed for CP, but none leverage the full capabilities of cross-sectional imaging modalities and are not widely accepted or validated. CT and MRI/MRCP are useful in identifying a wide spectrum of histopathological changes in CP and can also assess exocrine reserve of pancreas. Advanced MRI techniques such as T1 mapping and extracellular volume fraction can potentially identify early CP. Cross-sectional imaging-based severity scoring can quantify CP disease burden and may have positive implications for clinicians and researchers. In this review, we discuss the need for cross-sectional imaging-based severity scoring for CP, role of CT, and MRI/MRCP in assessment of CP and how these modalities can be used to obtain severity scoring for CP. We summarize relevant information from recently published CT and MRI/MRCP reporting standards for CP, and from international guidelines for cross-sectional imaging and severity scoring for CP.

MRI and MRCP play an important role in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) by imaging pancreatic parenchyma and ducts. MRI/MRCP is more widely used than computed tomography (CT) for mild to moderate CP due to its increased sensitivity for pancreatic ductal and gland changes; however, it does not detect the calcifications seen in advanced CP. Quantitative MR imaging offers potential advantages over conventional qualitative imaging, including simplicity of analysis, quantitative and population-based comparisons, and more direct interpretation of detected changes. These techniques may provide quantitative metrics for determining the presence and severity of acinar cell loss and aid in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Given the fact that the parenchymal changes of CP precede the ductal involvement, there would be a significant benefit from developing MRI/MRCP-based, more robust diagnostic criteria combining ductal and parenchymal findings. Among cross-sectional imaging modalities, multi-detector CT (MDCT) has been a cornerstone for evaluating chronic pancreatitis (CP) since it is ubiquitous, assesses primary disease process, identifies complications like pseudocyst or vascular thrombosis with high sensitivity and specificity, guides therapeutic management decisions, and provides images with isotropic resolution within seconds. Conventional MDCT has certain limitations and is reserved to provide predominantly morphological (e.g., calcifications, organ size) rather than functional information. The emerging applications of radiomics and artificial intelligence are poised to extend the current capabilities of MDCT. In this review article, we will review advanced imaging techniques by MRI, MRCP, CT, and ultrasound.

Purpose: To compare image quality and diagnostic performance of three magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) protocols in patients with suspected pancreatic abnormalities: free-breathing standard 3D-MRCP (STD), free-breathing compressed sensing 3D-MRCP (CS), and CS 3D-MRCP with acquisition during a single breath-hold > 20 s (BH-CS)., Methods: Informed consent was obtained. We performed 57 MRCPs in 56 prospectively included patients (29 men, median age 59 years). The three protocols were performed in random order. Acquisition time was recorded. Two radiologists blinded to the protocols used 5-point scales to assess image quality parameters (overall image quality, amount of artifacts, background suppression, bile and pancreatic duct visualization) and diagnostic performance (anatomical variants, duct abnormalities, cystic lesions)., Results: Acquisition time was 279 s with STD, 176 s with CS (-37%), and 22 s with BH-CS (-93%). STD and BH-CS were not significantly different for overall image quality, artifacts, or background suppression. The BH-CS group had fewer non-diagnostic scans (3% vs. 19% with STD and 21% with CS, p < 0.05), higher-quality scans (78% vs. 66% with STD and 58% with CS, p < 0.05), and milder artifacts (2% vs. 18% with STD and 16% with CS, p < 0.05). The main pancreatic duct was better visualized with BH-CS compared to STD (p = 0.015) and CS (p < 0.001). Diagnostic performance did not differ across the three protocols. There were fewer indeterminate scans in the BH-CS group., Conclusion: 3T BH-CS is reliable, saves time, and is not associated with decreases in image quality or diagnostic performance compared to STD and CS.

Purpose: To assess the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to blood tests and clinical scoring systems for the evaluation of histopathologic severity in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)., Materials: Fifty-one patients (M/F 37/14, mean age 41 years) with PSC who underwent MRI and liver histopathology were included in this IRB-approved retrospective study. Two radiologists independently graded the severity of biliary abnormalities on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using a standardized scoring system, parenchymal enhancement, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) signal. Liver function tests, Mayo Risk score, APRI, FIB-4 Index, MELD, and Child-Pugh scores were recorded. Histopathology was assessed using a modified Nakanuma's scoring system. Correlation and diagnostic performance of MRI scores and blood tests for assessment of PSC histopathologic disease severity were evaluated., Results: Findings of cirrhosis and portal hypertension were the only imaging features diagnostic of advanced PSC (stages 3 and 4) with AUC up to 0.90 (p < 0.001) for both observers. Parenchymal enhancement and overall qualitative biliary ductal abnormality identified advanced PSC stage with AUC up to 0.767 (p = 0.002) only for one observer. There was weak correlation between the overall qualitative biliary ductal abnormality on MRCP and histopathologic stage (r = 0.36, p = 0.01) for one observer. FIB-4 index, Child-Pugh, MELD, Mayo Risk, APRI, and alkaline phosphatase demonstrated good to excellent performance for advanced PSC stage (AUCs 0.672-0.915, p < 0.045)., Conclusions: MRI findings of cirrhosis/portal hypertension, blood tests, and clinical scoring systems had high performance for advanced histopathologic PSC stage diagnosis, while the severity of biliary abnormalities on MRI did not.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the proposed rapid NT-MRCP protocol and the conventional NT-MRCP protocol with respect to image quality as well as the acquisition time., Materials and Methods: Between January 2019 and May 2019, a total number of 67 consecutive patients with suspected pancreaticobiliary diseases were included in this prospective study and underwent 3D rapid MRCP and 3D conventional MRCP sequences. Both acquisition protocols were set from the same navigator-triggered 3D SPACE sequence. The acquisition time was recorded. Two blinded radiologists performed qualitative analyses with respect to overall image quality, motion artifacts, and CBD visibility using a four-point scale. Quantitative evaluation included the contrast, signal-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-noise ratio (CNR) between the common bile duct (CBD) and periductal tissues. A paired t test was used to assess differences in the qualitative and quantitative evaluations between the two acquisition methods., Results: All MRCP studies were completed successfully. The mean acquisition time of rapid NT-MRCP (96.64 ± 30.55 s) was significantly lower than that of the conventional NT-MRCP (271.42 ± 61.63 s; p < 0.001).The contrast ratio, SNR, and CNR of the CBD were significantly higher for conventional NT-MRCP than with rapid NT-MRCP images (0.95 ± 0.02 vs. 0.93 ± 0.03, p < 0.001; 10.36 ± 4.63 vs. 8.90 ± 4.71, p = 0.011; 14.01 ± 6.02 vs. 12.22 ± 6.36, p = 0.020, respectively). The rapid MRCP depicted the overall image quality, artifacts, CBD visibility, right and left hepatic duct, segment 2 branch, main pancreatic duct, and cystic duct significantly better compared with conventional MRCP (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two methods regarding visibility of anterior, posterior, and segment 3 branches (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: In conclusion, the proposed rapid MRCP protocol yielded significantly higher overall image quality and better visualization of the pancreaticobiliary tree with a significantly reduced imaging time without deterioration of image quality compared with the conventional MRCP at 3T.

Purpose: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD), including primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC), and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), have overlapping clinical features but distinct management strategies and outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of quantitative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) parameters for distinguishing PSC/ASC from AIH in children and young adults., Materials and Methods: This IRB-approved, cross-sectional study included participants from an institutional AILD registry that underwent baseline serum liver biochemistry testing and 3D fast spin-echo MRCP. The biliary tree was extracted and modeled from MRCP images using novel proprietary software (MRCP+ ™; Perspectum Diagnostics; Oxford, United Kingdom), and quantitative parameters were generated (e.g., biliary tree volume; number and length of bile ducts, strictures, and dilations; bile duct median/maximum diameters). Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to compare laboratory values and MRCP metrics between patient cohorts (clinical diagnosis of PSC/ASC versus AIH). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess diagnostic performance of serum biochemistry values and MRCP parameters for discriminating PSC/ASC from AIH., Results: Thirty percent (14/47) of MRCP exams failed post-processing due to motion artifact. The remaining 33 patients included 20 males and 13 females, with a mean age of 15.1 ± 3.9 years. Eighteen patients were assigned the clinical diagnosis of PSC or ASC and 15 of AIH. All but one quantitative MRCP parameter were significantly different between cohorts (p < 0.05) and predictive of diagnosis (ROC p < 0.05), including numbers of bile duct strictures (area under curve [AUC] = 0.86, p < 0.0001) and dilations (AUC = 0.87, p < 0.0001) and total length of dilated ducts (AUC = 0.89, p < 0.0001). Laboratory values were not significantly different between cohorts (p > 0.05). The best multivariable model for distinguishing PSC/ASC from AIH included total length of dilated ducts (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% CI 1.02-1.14) and maximum left hepatic duct diameter (OR, 1.21; 95% CI 0.57-2.56) [AUC = 0.92]., Conclusion: Quantitative MRCP parameters provide good discrimination of PSC/ASC from AIH.

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for detecting biliary and pancreatic abnormalities in a pediatric population, using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as the reference standard., Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval with a waiver of informed consent was obtained for this retrospective investigation. Records from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Department of Radiology were used to identify patients aged ≤ 18 years who had undergone both ERCP and MRCP within a 4-week interval between January 2013 and May 2017. Biliary and pancreatic duct findings were documented for each modality to determine the diagnostic performance of MRCP (with 95% confidence intervals), using ERCP as the reference standard., Results: 54 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean patient age at time of ERCP was 10.4 ± 4.9 years, and 25 (46%) were male. Mean interval between ERCP and MRCP was 11.2 ± 9.7 days. For detection of any abnormality (n = 99 ERCP findings), MRCP had a sensitivity of 76.8% (67.5-84.0%) and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 81.7% (72.7-88.3%). MRCP was 75.7% (59.9-86.6%) sensitive, with a PPV of 84.9% (69.1-93.4%) for biliary findings (n = 37) and 73.5% (59.7-83.8%) sensitive, with a PPV of 78.3% (64.4-87.7%) for pancreatic findings (n = 49). For pancreatobiliary abnormalities (n = 13), MRCP had a sensitivity of 92.3% (66.7-99.6%) and a PPV of 85.7% (60.1-97.5%)., Conclusion: In clinical practice, MRCP is moderately sensitive for biliary and pancreatic abnormalities, with false-negative and false-positive examinations being relatively common.

Purpose: Elucidating the association between pancreatic ductal anomalies and chronic asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography., Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective, case-control study. The healthy community group comprised 554 subjects who participated in a paid, whole-body health checkup program. The patient group comprised 14 subjects with idiopathic pancreatic hyperamylasemia or hyperlipasemia. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. The clinical features and incidence rates of pancreatic ductal anomalies were then compared between the groups., Results: Compared to the healthy community group, the patient group was significantly more likely to be ≥ age 65 (71.4% of patient group vs. 22.1% of healthy community group), have a history of diabetes mellitus (21.4% vs. 5.4%) or hypertension (35.7% vs. 11.4%), and to have pancreas divisum (21.4% vs. 2.7%), meandering main pancreatic duct (21.4% vs. 4.1%), Wirsungocele (14.3% vs. 1.1%), or dilated main pancreatic duct (14.3% vs. 2.3%). Multivariate analysis found that age ≥ 65 (odds ratio 8.76), presence of pancreas divisum (odds ratio 13.2), meandering main pancreatic duct (odds ratio 8.95), and Wirsungocele (odds ratio 17.6) were independent factors significantly associated with chronic asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia., Conclusions: Pancreas divisum, meandering main pancreatic duct, and Wirsungocele were independently associated with chronic asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia.

Purpose: To assess the combined parallel imaging (PI) and optimized integrated compressed sensing technique (prototype Compressed SENSE) for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) compared with conventional MRCP., Methods: This prospective study was approved by our Institutional Review Board, and all patients provided written informed consent. A total of 56 consecutive patients (27 men and 29 women; mean age 67.2 years) underwent breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) MRCP with PI alone (BH-MRCP; acquisition time, 23 s), respiratory-triggered 3D MRCP with PI alone (RT-MRCP; 201 s) and respiratory-triggered 3D MRCP with Compressed SENSE (RT-MRCPcs; 45 s). Relative duct-to-periductal contrast ratios (RCs) of the pancreaticobiliary ducts were calculated for quantitative image analyses. Two radiologists graded the visibility of the pancreaticobiliary ducts, pancreatic cystic lesion, motion artifact, and overall image quality using a five-point rating scale for qualitative image analyses. Theses qualitative and quantitative measurements were then compared among the three sequences., Results: RCs of the common bile duct, right hepatic duct (RHD), left hepatic duct (LHD), and main pancreatic duct at the pancreatic head, body, and tail segments, were significantly higher RT-MRCP, followed by RT-MRCPcs and BH-MRCP (P < 0.001). The visibility of the peripheral RHD and LHD was slightly better in RT-MRCP than in RT-MRCPcs and BH-MRCP (P < 0.001). The visibility of other pancreaticobiliary ducts, pancreatic cystic lesion, motion artifact, and overall image quality were almost comparable among three sequences., Conclusion: The acquisition time was markedly reduced in RT-MRCPcs compared with conventional RT-MRCP while there were significant differences in both quantitative and qualitative analyses, the differences were small enough that the reduced acquisition time makes up for it.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the radiological patterns of secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC) following lung transplantation., Methods: Fifty-five patients underwent abdominopelvic CT before and after lung transplantation for end stage pulmonary disease. Nine patients underwent MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). The radiological patterns of biliary abnormalities (location, bile duct dilatation with stricture, beaded appearance, and biliary casts/sludge), laboratory data (serum total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase), and patient survival rates were evaluated. SSC was diagnosed when there were newly developed biliary abnormalities with cholestasis after lung transplantation. Potential perioperative risk factors pertaining to SSC were analyzed. Patient survival rates with or without SSC were compared., Results: Six of the 55 patients showed imaging and laboratory findings of SSC after lung transplantation. Multifocal dilatation and stricture involved the intrahepatic (6 of 6, 100%), hilar (4 of 6, 66.7%), and extrahepatic bile duct (1 of 6, 16.7%). On CT, the lesions presented as multifocal small cyst-like lesions along the bile duct course. On MRCP, the lesions showed beaded appearance with mild duct dilatation. Preoperative mechanical ventilation and bilateral lung transplantation were associated with SSC (p < 0.05). The median survival of patients with SSC was 4.6 months., Conclusion: Lung transplantation can induce SSC similar to SSC in critically ill patients, and result in worse clinical outcomes than in patients without SSC. Multifocal small cyst-like lesions along the intrahepatic bile duct on CT and beaded appearance on MRCP are suggestive findings of SSC in patients with cholestasis after lung transplantation.

Purpose: To use MRCP to investigate age-related changes and gender differences of the pancreas and to correlate pancreatic gland size and duct diameter., Methods: In this institutional review, board-approved, HIPAA-compliant study, 280 patients (age 20-88 years) without a history of pancreatic or liver disease who had undergone MRI/MRCP from 2004 to 2015 were identified. The anteroposterior size and main duct diameter of the pancreatic head, body, and tail were measured. The pancreatic gland and duct sizes were compared between genders, and among seven age subgroups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89)., Results: The pancreatic head and body were significantly larger in males than females (head, p < 0.01; body, p = 0.03), while the tail and the duct diameters of the pancreatic head, body, and tail showed no gender difference. As the age of male participants increased, there was an associated increase in size of the pancreatic gland initially (largest at age 50-59 (body) and 60-69 (head)), followed by subsequent decline in size thereafter. Additionally, the pancreatic duct diameter was found to increase gradually. In females, the size of the pancreatic gland decreased, while the diameter of the pancreatic duct increased with age. Moderate positive correlation for gland size and strong positive correlation for duct diameter among different pancreatic regions were found. Weak negative correlation was found between gland size and duct diameter., Conclusions: There are gender differences in the gland size of the pancreatic head and body. The pancreatic gland size increases until the sixth decade in males, with a more continuous decrease in gland size with age in females. Both males and females demonstrate a marked decrease in gland size after the eighth decade. The duct diameter increases with age in both males and females.

Aim: To determine correlation of liver stiffness measured by MR Elastography (MRE) with biliary abnormalities on MR Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and MRI parenchymal features in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)., Methods: Fifty-five patients with PSC who underwent MRI of the liver with MRCP and MRE were retrospectively evaluated. Two board-certified abdominal radiologists in agreement reviewed the MRI, MRCP, and MRE images. The biliary tree was evaluated for stricture, dilatation, wall enhancement, and thickening at segmental duct, right main duct, left main duct, and common bile duct levels. Liver parenchyma features including signal intensity on T2W and DWI, and hyperenhancement in arterial, portal venous, and delayed phase were evaluated in nine Couinaud liver segments. Atrophy or hypertrophy of segments, cirrhotic morphology, varices, and splenomegaly were scored as present or absent. Regions of interest were placed in each of the nine segments on stiffness maps wherever available and liver stiffness (LS) was recorded. Mean segmental LS, right lobar (V-VIII), left lobar (I-III, and IVA, IVB), and global LS (average of all segments) were calculated. Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed for significant correlation. Features with significant correlation were then analyzed for significant differences in mean LS. Multiple regression analysis of MRI and MRCP features was performed for significant correlation with elevated LS., Results: A total of 439/495 segments were evaluated and 56 segments not included in MRE slices were excluded for correlation analysis. Mean segmental LS correlated with the presence of strictures (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), T2W hyperintensity (r = 0.38, p < 0.001), DWI hyperintensity (r = 0.30, p < 0.001), and hyperenhancement of segment in all three phases. Mean LS of atrophic and hypertrophic segments were significantly higher than normal segments (7.07 ± 3.6 and 6.67 ± 3.26 vs. 5.1 ± 3.6 kPa, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, only the presence of segmental strictures (p < 0.001), T2W hyperintensity (p = 0.01), and segmental hypertrophy (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with elevated segmental LS. Only left ductal stricture correlated with left lobe LS (r = 0.41, p = 0.018). Global LS correlated significantly with CBD stricture (r = 0.31, p = 0.02), number of segmental strictures (r = 0.28, p = 0.04), splenomegaly (r = 0.56, p < 0.001), and varices (r = 0.58, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In PSC, there is low but positive correlation between segmental LS and segmental duct strictures. Segments with increased LS show T2 hyperintensity, DWI hyperintensity, and post-contrast hyperenhancement. Global liver stiffness shows a moderate correlation with number of segmental strictures and significantly correlates with spleen stiffness, splenomegaly, and varices.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate image quality and diagnostic performance of a recently developed navigated three-dimensional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (3D-MRCP) with compressed sensing (CS) based on parallel imaging (PI) and conventional 3D-MRCP with PI only in patients with abnormal bile duct dilatation., Methods: This institutional review board-approved study included 45 consecutive patients [non-malignant common bile duct lesions (n = 21) and malignant common bile duct lesions (n = 24)] who underwent MRCP of the abdomen to evaluate bile duct dilatation. All patients were imaged at 3T (MR 750, GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI) including two kinds of 3D-MRCP using 352 × 288 matrices with and without CS based on PI. Two radiologists independently and blindly assessed randomized images., Results: CS acceleration reduced the acquisition time on average 5 min and 6 s to a total of 2 min and 56 s. The all CS cine image quality was significantly higher than standard cine MR image for all quantitative measurements. Diagnostic accuracy for benign and malignant lesions is statistically different between standard and CS 3D-MRCP., Conclusions: Total image quality and diagnostic accuracy at biliary obstruction evaluation demonstrates that CS-accelerated 3D-MRCP sequences can provide superior quality of diagnostic information in 42.5% less time. This has the potential to reduce motion-related artifacts and improve diagnostic efficacy.

Purpose: To compare magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI in the evaluation of the biliary anatomy in potential living liver donors (LLDs)., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care liver transplant center after obtaining ethics and institutional approvals. A total of 42 potential LLD MRI examinations were performed between November 2013 and March 2016. All patients underwent a standard MRI protocol which included MRCP and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI sequences in a single session. Three abdominal MR radiologists independently reviewed the studies and completed a customized data collection sheet for each MR sequence. The readers subjectively scored the bile duct visualization on each MR sequence on a Likert scale and classified the biliary anatomic configuration. Statistical analysis was performed using intraclass correlation coefficient and the McNemar Chi-square (χ 2 ) test., Results: The 42 potential LLDs included 22 males and 20 females with an age range of 18-60 years. There was 'good' or 'excellent' inter-reader agreement on either MRI examination for the visualization of the first- and second-order ducts and the majority of third-order ducts. 'Good' inter-reader agreement on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and 'fair' inter-reader agreement on MRCP was noted for the left third-order medial duct. There was significantly better visualization of the cystic duct, left hepatic duct, and right second-order ducts on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI compared with MRCP. A 12.6% improvement in classifying the biliary branch pattern was also observed on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI compared with MRCP (P = 0.03)., Conclusion: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI provides additional diagnostic confidence over MRCP in the evaluation of the biliary ductal anatomy in potential LLDs.

Purpose: To compare the performance of non-contrast MRI with half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) vs. contrast-enhanced MRI/3D-MRCP for assessment of suspected choledocholithiasis in hospitalized patients., Methods and Materials: 123 contrast-enhanced abdominal MRI/MRCP scans in the hospital setting for possible choledocholithiasis were retrospectively evaluated. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, intraoperative cholangiogram or documented clinical resolution served as the reference standard. Readers first evaluated the biliary tree using coronal and axial HASTE and other non-contrast sequences, and later reviewed the entire exam with post-contrast sequences and 3D-MRCP. Test performance for the image sets was compared for choledocholithiasis, acute hepatitis, cholangitis, and acute cholecystitis. Reader agreement, MRCP image quality, and confidence levels were also assessed. Clinical predictors of age and fever were tested for association with perceived need for contrast in biliary assessment., Results: There were 27 cases of choledocholithiasis, 31 cases of acute hepatitis, 37 cases of acute cholecystitis, and 3 clinically diagnosed cases of acute cholangitis. Both the abbreviated and full contrast-enhanced/MRCP image sets resulted in high accuracy for choledocholithiasis (91.1-94.3% vs. 91.9-92.7%). There was no difference in sensitivity or specificity for either reader for any diagnosis between image sets (p > 0.40). 1 reader showed improved confidence (p < 0.001) with inclusion of MRCP and contrast-enhanced images, but neither confidence nor MRCP quality scores were associated with diagnostic accuracy. Patient age and fever did not predict the need for contrast-enhanced images., Conclusion: In hospitalized patients with suspected choledocholithiasis, performance of non-contrast abdominal MRI with HASTE is similar to contrast-enhanced MRI with 3D-MRCP, offering potential for decreased scanning time and improved patient tolerability.

Purpose: To evaluate the value of adding single-shot balanced turbo field-echo (b-TFE) sequence to conventional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for the detection of common bile duct (CBD) stone., Methods: One hundred thirty-seven consecutive patients with suspected CBD stone underwent MRCP including single-shot b-TFE sequence. Twenty-five patients were confirmed with CBD stone by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ultrasonography. Two radiologists reviewed two image protocols: protocol A (conventional MRCP protocol: unenhanced T1-, T2-, and respiratory-triggered three-dimensional fat-suppressed single-shot turbo spin-echo MRCP sequence) and protocol B (protocol A plus single-shot b-TFE sequence). The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the detection of CBD stone were compared., Results: The sensitivity (72%) and NPV (94%) were the same between the two protocols. However, protocol B was greater in the specificity (99%) and PPV (94%) than protocol A (92% and 67%, respectively) (P = 0.0078 and 0.031, respectively). The AUC was significantly greater for protocol B (0.93) than for protocol A (0.86) (P = 0.026)., Conclusions: Inclusion of single-shot b-TFE sequence to conventional MRCP significantly improved the specificity and PPV for the detection of CBD stone.

Purpose: To investigate whether the addition of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced 3D T1-weighted MR cholangiography (T1w-MRC) to 3D T2-weighted MRC (T2w-MRC) improves the confidence and diagnostic accuracy of biliary anatomy in living liver donors., Methods: Two abdominal radiologists retrospectively and independently reviewed pre-operative MR studies in 58 consecutive living liver donors. The second-order bile duct visualization on T1w- and T2w-MRC images was rated on a 4-point scale. The readers also independently recorded the biliary anatomy and their diagnostic confidence using (1) combined T1w- and T2w-MRC, and (2) T2w-MRC. In the 23 right lobe donors, the biliary anatomy at imaging and the imaging-predicted number of duct orifices at surgery were compared to intra-operative findings., Results: T1w-MRC had a higher proportion of excellent visualization than T2w-MRC, 66% vs. 45% for reader 1 and 60% vs. 31% for reader 2. The median confidence score for biliary anatomy diagnosis was significantly higher with combined T1w- and T2w-MRC than T2w-MRC alone for both readers (Reader 1: 3 vs. 2, p < 0.001; Reader 2: 3 vs. 1, p < 0.001). Compared to intra-operative findings, the accuracy of imaging-predicted number of duct orifices using combined T1w-and T2w-MRC was significantly higher than that using T2w-MRC alone (p = 0.034 for reader 1, p = 0.0082 for reader 2)., Conclusion: The addition of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3D T1w-MRC to 3D T2w-MRC improves second-order bile duct visualization and increases the confidence in biliary anatomy diagnosis and the accuracy in the imaging-predicted number of duct orifices acquired during right lobe harvesting.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the clinical utility of balanced turbo-field-echo (BTFE) magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) sequences obtained at 3 and 1.5 T., Methods: We acquired three-dimensional (3D) BTFE MRCP scans with a navigator-gated technique at 3 T on a different day after 1.5 T in 39 consecutive patients. Two radiologists independently rated the image quality and visibility of anatomical structures (right and left hepatic duct, cystic duct, gallbladder, common bile duct, and main pancreatic duct) using a four-point scale. For quantitative analysis, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and acquisition time were evaluated., Results: All visual scores tended to be higher for 1.5 T than 3 T images. There was a significant difference in the image quality and the depiction of the main pancreatic duct (p < 0.01). The image acquisition time was significantly shorter for 3 T than 1.5 T (199.3 ± 40.1 vs. 264.0 ± 86.5 s, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in SNR and CNR., Conclusions: 3D-BTFE MRCP scans acquired at 3 T were of sufficient image quality with respect to the biliary tree. SNR and CNR were comparable on 3 and 1.5 T scans, although the acquisition time was significantly shorter with the 3 T scanner.

Purpose: To compare MRI using gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) vs. gadoxetic acid disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) for the assessment of biliary anatomy of potential liver donors., Methods: 76 potential liver donors (39 M/37 F, mean 38 years) who underwent 1.5T MRI using Gd-BOPTA (n = 37) or Gd-EOB-DTPA (n = 39) were retrospectively evaluated. T2 cholangiogram (T2 MRC) and delayed hepatobiliary phase (HBP) T1 cholangiogram (T1 MRC) (performed during HBP 20 min after injection of Gd-EOB-DTPA and 1-2 h after Gd-BOPTA injection) were obtained in addition to MR angiogram/venogram. Two independent observers evaluated image quality (IQ) and conspicuity scores (CS) of the biliary system. Biliary anatomy was assessed in 3 reading sessions (T2 MRC, T1 MRC, and combined T2/T1 MRC). Reference standard consisted of consensus reading of two separate observers of all image sets, clinical/surgical information and intraoperative cholangiogram when available. Datasets were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test or Chi-squared test., Results: There was no difference in IQ for T1 MRC using either contrast agent or T2 MRC vs. T1 MRC for both observers (all p values >0.07). There was superior CS for T2 MRC vs. Gd-BOPTA T1 MRC for both observers and T2 MRC vs. Gd-EOB for one observer (p < 0.001). No difference was found for biliary variant detection for T1 MRC (with either contrast agent) vs. T2 MRC. Combined T2/T1 MRC demonstrated improved sensitivity for biliary variant detection using Gd-BOPTA for both observers (p < 0.004) and Gd-EOB-DTPA for one observer (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Equivalent image quality was found for T1 MRC obtained with Gd-BOPTA or Gd-EOB-DTPA and T2 MRC. T1 MRC is equivalent to T2 MRC for detection of variant biliary anatomy, and the combination of sequences may have added value.

Purpose: To investigate the added value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) when used with conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (T2WI) and MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for diagnosing bile duct dilatations., Methods: Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study protocol and waived the informed consent requirement. The study included 151 consecutive patients (70 men, 81 women) with intra- and/or extra-hepatic bile duct dilatation examined using MR imaging. Two radiologists independently and randomly reviewed 3 image sets (A: MRCP and T2WI; B: DWI; and C: combined T2WI, MRCP, and DWI) at different occasions to differentiate between malignancy, biliary lithiasis, and benign dilatation. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of these imaging sets were calculated and compared., Results: For both readers, combined T2WI, MRCP, and DWI exhibited significantly higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for malignant dilatation, compared with conventional T2WI and MRCP (P < 0.01 for both readers). However, DWI did not significantly affect the sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for biliary lithiasis or benign dilatation., Conclusion: The addition of DWI to T2WI and MRCP sequences yields significantly higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy when examining bile duct dilatations, particularly malignant dilatations.