Anatomical Variations of the Common Bile Duct by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography and Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography, Is it different?

Background: 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 scarce of studies that compare ERCP and MRCP in detection of anatomical variations. Aim of the study: to compare ERCP Findings versus MRCP in detection of anatomical variations of the biliary tree in Egyptian population. subjects and Methods: The study was a prospective descriptive comparative study that included fifty patients submitted to ERCP in Fayoum University Hospital from February 2020 to September 2021. Results: According to 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 A5 in 4% (n-2) with no statistical differences between MRCP and ERCP in detection of variations. Conclusion: Type A1 variant by Huang classification is the commonest anatomical finding. MRCP is a sensitive and specific modality in detecting biliary anatomical variations Key words: ERCP; MRCP; Biliary anatomy.