Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Dogs-A Post-Mortem Study

Vahideh Rahmani; Juha Peltonen; Shyrley Paola Amarilla; Dmitri Hmelnikov; Mirja Ruohoniemi; Thomas Spillmann

doi:10.3390/ani13152517

Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Dogs-A Post-Mortem Study

Animals (Basel). 2023 Aug 4;13(15):2517. doi: 10.3390/ani13152517.

Authors

Vahideh Rahmani¹, Juha Peltonen², Shyrley Paola Amarilla^{3

4}, Dmitri Hmelnikov², Mirja Ruohoniemi¹, Thomas Spillmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
² HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
³ Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Department of Pathological Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of Asuncion, San Lorenzo 111421, Paraguay.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is commonly used in humans and is also feasible in cats. The aim of this post-mortem study was to investigate the feasibility of MRCP in eight adult dogs by comparing the visibility and measured diameters of the biliary tract and pancreatic ducts in MRCP with those of fluoroscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (FRCP) and corrosion casting. In autopsy, six dogs had no evidence of hepatobiliary disorders, one had pancreatic pathology, and one had biliary pathology. The gallbladder (GB), cystic duct, and common bile duct (CBD) were visible in the MRCP images of all eight dogs. However, the extrahepatic ducts and pancreatic ducts were only variably visible. There was statistical agreement between MRCP and FRCP in measuring the diameters of the GB (fundus and body) and CBD (at papilla and extrahepatic ducts' junction). The diameter measurements correlated between MRCP and corrosion casting. Our study showed that MRCP is feasible in dogs and allowed for proper visualization of the biliary tract. However, ducts with diameters of <1 mm were difficult to visualize using a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine. Further studies are warranted to apply MRCP in the diagnostic imaging of live dogs.

Keywords: biliary tract; diagnostic imaging; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography; pancreas.

Grants and funding

The Doctoral Program of the Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DP-CVM), Helsinki University supported the personal grant of the first author (VR) and the Finnish Veterinary Foundation (ETTS) supported the personal grant of the third author (SPA). The ETTS and the Finnish Foundation of Veterinary Research (SELS) supported the material expenses of this study. All mentioned organizations have had no other role in this research project or any other related procedures. Open access funding provided by University of Helsinki.