Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Dogs—A Post-Mortem Study

Abstract

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is commonly used in humans and is also feasible in cats. The aim of this post-mortem study was to investigate the feasibility of MRCP in eight adult dogs by comparing the visibility and measured diameters of the biliary tract and pancreatic ducts in MRCP with those of fluoroscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (FRCP) and corrosion casting. In autopsy, six dogs had no evidence of hepatobiliary disorders, one had pancreatic pathology, and one had biliary pathology. The gallbladder (GB), cystic duct, and common bile duct (CBD) were visible in the MRCP images of all eight dogs. However, the extrahepatic ducts and pancreatic ducts were only variably visible. There was statistical agreement between MRCP and FRCP in measuring the diameters of the GB (fundus and body) and CBD (at papilla and extrahepatic ducts’ junction). The diameter measurements correlated between MRCP and corrosion casting. Our study showed that MRCP is feasible in dogs and allowed for proper visualization of the biliary tract. However, ducts with diameters of <1 mm were difficult to visualize using a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine. Further studies are warranted to apply MRCP in the diagnostic imaging of live dogs.