Influence of cholecystectomy on the flow dynamic pattern of bile in the extrahepatic bile duct: Assessment by cine-dynamic MRCP with spatially-selective IR pulse.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of cholecystectomy on the flow dynamic pattern of bile in the extrahepatic bile duct by using cine-dynamic MRCP with spatially-selective inversion-recovery (IR) pulse non-invasively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 56 patients with cholecystectomy and 48 control subjects without cholecystectomy who underwent cine-dynamic MRCP with spatially-selective IR pulse at 1.5 T or 3 T (TR/TE, 4000 msec/500 msec; echo train spacing, 6.5 msec; echo train length, 172; section thickness, 50 mm; matrix, 320 × 320; field of view, 320 × 320 mm; bandwidth, 488 Hz; and inversion time, 2200 msec). In cine-dynamic MRCP, IR pulse with 20 mm width was placed on the common bile duct (CBD) to evaluate the movement of bile (antegrade and reversed bile flow). Cine-dynamic MRCP imaging was scanned every 15 s (imaging, 4 s; rest, 11 s) during 5 min to acquire a series of single-shot images (a total of 20 images). The frequency that antegrade or reversed bile flow was observed in the extrahepatic bile duct, and 5-point grading score based on the moving distance of antegrade or reversed bile flow were compared between the groups. Both groups were compared using the χ2 and Mann-Whitney U tests (P < 0.05 considered significant). RESULTS: Antegrade bile flow was observed more frequently in the cholecystectomy group than in the non-cholecystectomy group (5.1 times vs. 2.8 times, P = 0.008). Mean grading score of antegrade bile flow was significantly greater in the cholecystectomy group than in the non-cholecystectomy group (mean grade, 0.33 vs 0.21; P = 0.014). Regarding reversed bile flow, there were no significant differences in the frequency and grading score between cholecystectomy group and non-cholecystectomy group. CONCLUSION: Antegrade bile flow was observed more frequently and predominantly in patients after cholecystectomy in cine-dynamic MRCP with spatially-selective IR pulse while reversed bile flow was observed equivalently.

Symptoms that are associated with decreased pancreatic enzyme flow: MRCP assessment.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is one of the causes of malabsorption syndrome. In many cases of malabsorption syndrome, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency can be treated with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. Therefore, it is important to detect pancreatic endocrine insufficiency as early and accurately as possible. Recent studies have shown that cine-dynamic MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) may be useful to evaluate pancreatic exocrine function PURPOSE: To identify abdominal symptoms that suggest decreased flow of pancreatic enzyme secretion for which cine-dynamic MRCP should be performed to diagnose pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: In all, 111 patients with various types of abdominal symptoms. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 5 T or 3 T, MRCP with spatially selective inversion recovery pulse (cine-dynamic MRCP). ASSESSMENT: Cine-dynamic MRCP was performed and an 18-question clinical questionnaire on abdominal symptoms was administered. The secretion grade derived from cine-dynamic MRCP was compared between those answering "yes" and "no" for all 18 items STATISTICAL TESTS: Univariate analysis and further analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The associations between the secretion grade and the items in the clinical questionnaire were analyzed by univariate analysis and further analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The following three items showed significantly negative correlations with secretion grade: Q9, Does your rectal gas smell foul? (ß = -0.44, P = 0.001); Q13, Is stool quantity large? (ß = -0.41, P = 0.001); and Q18, Are your stools soft? (ß = -0.53, P < 0.001). No significant correlations with exocrine pancreatic function measured by cine-dynamic MRCP were seen for the remaining 15 abdominal symptom items. DATA CONCLUSION: Abdominal symptoms that suggest decreased flow of pancreatic enzyme secretion were foul rectal gas, large stool, and soft stool. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency due to decreased pancreatic enzyme flow may be suspected in patients with these abdominal symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy Stage: 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:417-423.