Joze - MRCP

[Guest guest]

Hi Joze,

As far as the MRCP is concerned - if it is just a simple MRCP

then there is no IV involved as far as I know (at least that is what

happened in my experience). But if it is an MRCP - CCK or MRCP

- Secretin test, then there is an IV used. The CCK or Secretin are

medicines that some doctors inject to get the pancreas and

biliary system to contract or secrete their fluids. It is thought that

by stimulating the gall bladder / biliary tree and / or pancreas

secretions that it will be more conclusive for finding an

obstruction or other abnormality within the ductal system. Kinda

like finding a where the dam is on a river by flooding it.

In my case, I had two MRCPs without them finding a problem. It

was only when the MRCP - CCK was performed (two years later)

that the radiologist found the problem which was then confirmed

by ERCP a few months later.

Basically the MRCP is just done with you laying in the tube and

following the instructions of the technologist: breath holds and

the like. The CCK part is done after the intial scan and once the

IV is started there is no difference in what happens. It is vey

much like a CT in that manner, at least to me.

Laurie