Anatomical variations of the common bile duct by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and magnetic resonance Cholangiopancreatography. Is it different?

Introduction: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), computerized tomography (CT) cholangiography, and/or intraoperative cholangiography can all be used to identify biliary anatomy.There is a shortage of studies that compare ERCP and MRCP in the detection of anatomical variations. Aim of the study:To compare ERCP findings versus MRCP in the detection of anatomical variations of the biliary tree in the Egyptian population. Subjects and Methods:The study was a prospective descriptive comparative study that included fifty patients submitted to ERCP at Fayoum University Hospital from February 2020 to September 2021. Results:According to the Huang classification, type A1 is found in 36% (n = 18), type A2 in 28% (n = 14), type A3 in 24% (n = 12), type A4 in 8% (n = 4), and type A5 in 4% (n = 2), with no statistical differences between MRCP and ERCP in the detection of variations. Conclusion:The Type A1 variant, according to the Huang classification, is the most common anatomical finding.MRCP is a sensitive and specific modality in detecting biliary anatomical variations.