Mucin-producing pancreatic tumors: comparison of MR cholangiopancreatography with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

PURPOSE: To compare magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the detection of mucin-producing pancreatic tumors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed MRCP and ERCP images obtained in 28 patients with mucin-producing pancreatic tumors. Detectability of the pancreatic duct and its branches, intraductal cystic lesions, and intracystic nodules or septa was assessed.
RESULTS: MRCP depicted cystic dilated ductal branches significantly better than did ERCP (P < .001). The difference in the number of nodules or septa detected with MRCP compared with ERCP was not significant. MRCP, however, simultaneously showed not only the main pancreatic duct but also the cystic lesions; this was not always possible with ERCP.
CONCLUSION: MRCP appears to be more effective and less invasive than ERCP to evaluate changes in the size and extent of tumors and to determine if new lesions appear, as well as to follow up mucin-producing pancreatic tumors.