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Published in: European Radiology 10/2006

01-10-2006 | Tips and tricks

Pneumobilia: where to look for on hepatic MR imaging?

Author: Elmar M. Merkle

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 10/2006

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Abstract

The presence of pneumobilia is a particular problem in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRPC) and may create an appearance that can be mistaken for intraductal stones. Compared with biliary stones, however, pneumobilia causes a susceptibility artifact on hepatic MR imaging and appears as a signal void on a dual echo gradient MR sequence, such as the T1-weighted in-phase and opposed-phase gradient echo sequence. This susceptibility artifact is more pronounced on the gradient echo image with the longer echo time due to the continued decay of the transverse magnetization. Besides identification of hepatic steatosis, the double echo approach is particularly helpful in identification of pneumobilia.
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Metadata
Title
Pneumobilia: where to look for on hepatic MR imaging?
Author
Elmar M. Merkle
Publication date
01-10-2006
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
European Radiology / Issue 10/2006
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-0050-z

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