The Role of Magnetic Resonance Cholangio-Pancreaticography (MRCP) In Predicting Common Bile Duct Stone in Symptomatic Gall Stone Disease

Common bile duct stones may be discovered preoperatively, intra-operatively or postoperatively. The standard preoperative workup for patients presenting with symptoms attributable to choledocholithiasis includes liver function test and an abdominal ultrasound. These tests, combined with clinical examination and history, constitute the entire workup for most patients. As there is no exactly known preventive measures, early detection and treatment is the most justifiable intervention to reduce mortality and morbidity. With the advancement of medical sciences many newer techniques are coming up for detection of biliary tract diseases. Among the imaging techniques currently advocated for evaluating the biliary tree, ultrasonography is most frequently used in the initial evaluation of patients with symptoms and sign referral to the pancreato-biliary systems. Magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) is a non-invasive imaging test with excellent overall sensitivity and specificity for demonstrating the level and presence of biliary obstruction. MRCP has emerged as an accurate, non invasive diagnostic modality for investigating the biliary and pancreatic duct and has been recommended in some circles as the preoperative procedure of choice for the detection of CBD stones.