Potential Impact of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography on Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Workload and Complication Rate in Patients Referred Because of Abdominal Pain

Abstract

Initial MRCP in patients referred with abdominal pain would potentially have avoided ERCP in 44 % of cases, reduced ERCP workload by 13 % and significantly reduced patient morbidity and mortality. The relatively small reduction in ERCP workload among these patients reflects the fact that over half of them had probable sphincter dysfunction, a significant proportion of whom might have benefited from biliary manometry and/or endoscopic intervention despite a normal MRCP. Furthermore, a small number of patients with calculi and subtle biliary and pancreatic strictures would be missed by this approach.