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Added value of diffusion-weighted imaging to MR cholangiopancreatography for the diagnosis of bile duct dilatations

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the added value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) when used with conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (T2WI) and MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for diagnosing bile duct dilatations.

Methods

Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study protocol and waived the informed consent requirement. The study included 151 consecutive patients (70 men, 81 women) with intra- and/or extra-hepatic bile duct dilatation examined using MR imaging. Two radiologists independently and randomly reviewed 3 image sets (A: MRCP and T2WI; B: DWI; and C: combined T2WI, MRCP, and DWI) at different occasions to differentiate between malignancy, biliary lithiasis, and benign dilatation. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of these imaging sets were calculated and compared.

Results

For both readers, combined T2WI, MRCP, and DWI exhibited significantly higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for malignant dilatation, compared with conventional T2WI and MRCP (P < 0.01 for both readers). However, DWI did not significantly affect the sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for biliary lithiasis or benign dilatation.

Conclusion

The addition of DWI to T2WI and MRCP sequences yields significantly higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy when examining bile duct dilatations, particularly malignant dilatations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No. 100 Tz You 1st Road, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan

    Tzu-Hsueh Tsai, Jui-Sheng Hsu, Ming-Lai Lai, Gin-Chung Liu & Chiao-Yun Chen

  2. Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Jui-Sheng Hsu, Gin-Chung Liu & Chiao-Yun Chen

  3. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Gin-Chung Liu, Ming-Chen Paul Shih & Chiao-Yun Chen

  4. Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Ming-Chen Paul Shih

Authors
  1. Tzu-Hsueh Tsai
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  2. Jui-Sheng Hsu
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  3. Ming-Lai Lai
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  4. Gin-Chung Liu
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  5. Ming-Chen Paul Shih
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  6. Chiao-Yun Chen
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Correspondence to Chiao-Yun Chen.

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Tsai, TH., Hsu, JS., Lai, ML. et al. Added value of diffusion-weighted imaging to MR cholangiopancreatography for the diagnosis of bile duct dilatations. Abdom Radiol 41, 485–492 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-015-0612-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-015-0612-8

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