Secretin-stimulated MRCP in volunteers: assessment of safety, duct visualization, and pancreatic exocrine function.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to investigate secretin-stimulated MRCP in terms of the safety of secretin, improvement of duct visualization, and assessment of pancreatic exocrine function. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Eight hundred sixteen volunteers (370 women and 446 men; mean age, 49.7 ± 13.1 [SD] years) underwent 3D MRCP before and after secretin stimulation (1 U/kg of body weight) at 1.5 T. For the first 2 hours after secretin injection, subjects were evaluated for adverse reactions. Improvement of duct visualization after secretin stimulation was subjectively evaluated by two readers and was quantified by duct diameter measurements. Pancreatic exocrine function was evaluated subjectively by two readers according to the duodenal filling and was quantified using calibrated volumetric measurements of total excreted volume and pancreatic flow output. RESULTS. Two subjects (0.2%) showed flushing (minor adverse reaction). Duct visualization after secretin injection was improved for reader 1 in 468 (...