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Hello, I’m Dr. Geoffrey Rubin, a radiologist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. In this short video I’ll describe magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography also known as MRCP.
MRCP is a special type of MRI that helps determine the cause of pain and examine diseases in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas and pancreatic duct.
If you are scheduled for an MRCP exam, there are several things you can do to prepare.
Tell your doctor about any health problems and surgeries that you have had and if you have any allergies, as an MRCP exam may require gadolinium. Gadolinium is a type of contrast material with minimal risk and that typically passes through the body unnoticed.
On the day of your exam, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything a few hours before the exam. Also, it’s best to wear loose, comfortable clothing. You should leave jewelry at home or remove it prior to the exam. Tell the technologist if you have medical devices in your body as these can interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit.
The magnetic field is not harmful; however, some implanted medical devices that are electronic may malfunction or cause problems during the exam, so it is particularly important to tell the doctor or the technologist about those devices. Children may need to be sedated in order to hold still during the procedure. If this is the case, you will be given instructions for your child before the exam.
Remember, MRCP is a noninvasive imaging test that does not involve exposure to radiation and can be extremely valuable in understanding the causes and status of your medical condition.
For more information about MRCP, visit us at RadiologyInfo.org.
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