Comparison of Magnetic Resonance and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Malignant Pancreaticobiliary Obstruction

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Abstract
AFTER ITS introduction in the 1970s, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revolutionized the diagnosis and management of pancreaticobiliary diseases. It remains the gold standard imaging study for visualizing the pancreatic and distal bile ducts. Conversely, ERCP is an invasive, often difficult, operator-dependent procedure that is associated with relatively frequent complications (≤5%).1 In addition, ERCP provides little if any information regarding the extent of disease, a critical consideration in planning therapy for patients with cancer. To obtain such information, ERCP must be combined with other imaging studies, usually abdominal computed tomographic scanning.