MRCP vs ERCP vs Liver Biopsy

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My husband was recently diagnosed with UC and due to elevated liver enzymes (AP: 533 in Jan, 249 in May, AST: 106 in Jan, 50 in May, ALT: 269 in Jan, 90 in May, GGT: 1073 in Jan, 625 in May, higher than normal billirubin but he's got Gilbert's syndrome) the doctors have told him they were 95% sure he had PSC as well. In April, he started having pain in his RUQ area and experiencing itching. He just had his MRCP on June 2 (still waiting for the results). His GI doctor has told him they would start this way because it was non-invasive but if it came back OK he would discard it (not believe it) and move on to ERCP. If ERCP was OK, he would discard it and do liver biopsy.

I've been corresponding with Bethany (thank you!) but thought I would ask a wider audience about your experiences.

Would it be possible for MRCP results to be fine and then a person still being diagnosed with PSC through ERCP or liver biopsy (as opposed to something showing up through MRCP and being confirmed later)? How about ERCP and liver biopsy? How many of you have had this sort of experience? Why would they do MRCP in the first place if they 'don't believe the results'?

This is all sooo confusing and scary. I've been reading your posts for a couple of months now and sometimes I can't help it and cry.

Thank you so much.

Eva