(
MRCP) This
MR imaging technique takes advantage of the high
signal intensity of body fluids and acquires heavy
T2 weighted images of the gall bladder, the pancreas and parts of the
liver. Due to the T2 weighting, the
liver and other solid parenchyma are signal suppressed and only fluid-filled structures in addition to the gall bladder, the bile and pancreatic ducts retain important
signal intensity.
Hepatobiliary
contrast agents (e.g.
Gadoxetic Acid,
CMC 001) can be useful for enhancement of the bile ducts and better imaging of the biliary tract.
A 2D cholangiogram, often only one thick
slice (a volume with a thickness of 4 - 8 cm, mostly
coronal planned) or 5 - 6 radial placed slices, shows a
view like single slices. If a 3D acquisition is used, the
postprocessing function
maximum intensity projection (
MIP) can show reconstructions from multiple sides.