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Abstract

Background: Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a non-invasive imaging technique widely used to evaluate biliary and pancreatic duct abnormalities, aiding in the diagnosis and management of various conditions such as choledocholithiasis, acute pancreatitis, and obstructive jaundice. This study examines the clinical and anatomical characteristics of MRCP patients, focusing on the prevalence of anatomical variations and their association with surgical complications.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of MRCP data was conducted, including demographic information, clinical indications, and anatomical variants of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. Surgical complications were also recorded and analyzed for any significant associations with anatomical variations.
Results: A total of 141 patients were included. The most common indications for MRCP were cholelithiasis (32%), acute cholecystitis (19%), and choledocholithiasis (14%). Anatomical variations in the biliary and pancreatic ducts were prevalent, with Type 1 right hepatic bile duct (HBD) variants observed in 67% of cases and Type A left HBD variants in 69%. Cystic duct variations showed that Type C was the most common (41%). In terms of treatment, 79% of patients received medical management, while 21% underwent surgery. Surgical complications were reported in 28.6% of patients, but no significant association between anatomical variants and surgical complications was found (p-values ranged from 0.5614 to 0.9826).
Discussion: The findings highlight MRCP’s critical role in diagnosing and managing biliary and pancreatic diseases, offering high-resolution images that guide therapeutic decisions. Despite the prevalence of anatomical variations, no significant correlations were found between these variants and surgical complications. These results are consistent with previous studies, suggesting that while anatomical variations are important for surgical planning, they do not necessarily predict postoperative complications.
Conclusion: MRCP remains a valuable tool in the assessment of biliary and pancreatic duct anatomy, providing essential information for clinical management. Although anatomical variants are common, they do not appear to be directly associated with increased surgical complications, emphasizing the need for individualized surgical approaches