Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: pitfalls in interpretation

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. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]