CT vs. MRCP in choledocholithiasis jaundice.
RATIONALE
Obstructive jaundice can raise problems to diagnostic imaging. The radiologist must choose the most appropriate examination that delivers the most important diagnostic information because the differences between a lithiasic obstruction and a tumoral one are vital. This information helps the surgeon speed up the process of decision-making, because the treatment may be very different in relation to the nature of the obstruction.


OBJECTIVE
This study tries to demonstrate the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in detecting the obstacle in the common bile duct (CBD) and the possibility of establishing the lithiasic nature of the obstruction.


METHODS AND RESULTS
A retrospective analysis was analyzed during an interval of 18 months that included jaundice patients admitted in the General Surgery Department of "Coltea" Clinical Hospital. They were examined by CT scanning and by MRCP, being suspected of choledocholithiasis. 63 patients were included in the study, 34 females and 29 males. 33 CT scans and 30 MRCP exams were performed.


DISCUSSION
CT scan is useful in detecting residual or iterative choledocholithiasis in patients after cholecystectomy, contrast enhanced CT (CECT), being able to differentiate between lithiasic and non-lithiasic obstruction. MRCP delivers important anatomic details of the biliary tree; it is superior to CT in diagnosing the hepatocholedochal lithiasis; MRCP tends to replace endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)--the diagnostic "gold standard" reducing the number of unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.
['Petrescu|I|I|', 'Bratu|A M|AM|', 'Petrescu|S|S|', 'Popa|B V|BV|', 'Cristian|D|D|', 'Burcos|T|T|']
D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance D042883:Choledocholithiasis D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007565:Jaundice D008297:Male D012189:Retrospective Studies D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
choledocholithiasis obstructive jaundice computed tomography (CT) magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)