What Is MRCP?
Monty Rakusen/Getty Images
Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a type of noninvasive imaging test that lets your healthcare provider see inside the fluid-filled organs in your abdomen, including the:
Pancreas and pancreatic duct
Gallbladder and gallbladder ducts
Liver
The MRCP test is less invasive than endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). It can be used to help diagnose health conditions like gallstones and pancreatitis. The MRCP can also be used to look for structural or functional issues that develop in a fetus (prenatally), as well as surgical complications that can affect the vital organs.
In this overview, find out more about why MRCP is used, how it's done, and what to expect during the scan.
Monty Rakusen/Getty Images
Related: The Anatomy of the Biliary System
What Is an MRCP?
MRCP is a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. It uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce an image of your internal organs. An MRCP test is done by a radiologist, usually at a clinic or the radiology department of a hospital.
What Does a MRCP Scan Diagnose?
An MRCP is not a standard or regular imaging test, but your healthcare provider might order it to:
Look at an organ for signs of a specific disease like cancer or liver cirrhosis (late-stage liver disease)
Find out why the pancreas is inflamed (pancreatitis)
What’s the Difference Between an MRCP and an MRI?
An MRI and an MRCP both use magnetic fields and radio waves to make pictures of the inside of the body. An MRCP is actually a special type of MRI that looks at specific organs. Sometimes, you may need to have an MRI of your whole abdomen at the same time as having an MRCP.
What’s the Difference Between MRCP to ECRP?
MRCP can be an alternative to ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram), which is an invasive procedure that uses dyes and X-ray imaging to get pictures of the pancreas, pancreatic duct, and bile ducts.
The main differences between MCRP and ECRP are that MRCP is less invasive, takes less time to do, and does not use radiation.
Learn More: How Gallstones Are Diagnosed
Before the Test
You do not need to do much to prepare for your MRCP. Your provider will go over the reasons for the test with you, and ask you about allergies or other safety considerations to make sure you can have the test done. They will also give you information about what you will need to do on the day of the test.
Timing
The time of day you have the MRCP does not matter. When you schedule the test will depend on:
The facility where you are having it done
How urgent the need for your test is
Your preferences
Location
The MRCP test will have to be performed in a place that is equipped with an MRI scanner. These large machines usually take up an entire room in a hospital or an outpatient center. Your provider will give you instructions on how to schedule your test and where to go to get it done.
Before you enter the MRI room, you will be asked to take off any jewelry or metal objects that might be on your body.
The MRI machine has a big circular hole in the center with a table that goes in and out of the opening. You will be on the table so that the technician can get the images that your team needs to make a diagnosis.
What to Wear
Most facilities will ask you to change into a hospital gown before having an MRCP or another type of MRI scan. Clothing with metal buttons or zippers cannot be used in an MRI scanner because of the magnets in the machines. You will also be asked to remove eyeglasses, jewelry, or piercings before your test.
Food and Drink
Regardless of the time of day that you are having the MRCP, your provider will tell you to not have any food and drinks for a certain amount of time before the test.
Generally, a fast for four hours before the test is recommended. This will reduce the amount of fluid and activity in your abdomen during the test which helps make the pictures come out better.
Cost and Medical Insurance
An MRI/MRCP of the abdomen is one of the most expensive tests that Medicare pays for.
The Medicare-approved amount for MCRP is almost $700, and medical insurance companies often pay similar amounts.
If you were to pay for the MCRP test out-of-pocket, the average national cost is $4,656.
Whether or not Medicare or an insurance company will cover the cost of the MCRP test typically depends on why you are having it. In most cases, tests ordered that are deemed to be "medically necessary" by your healthcare provider are covered by Medicare and insurance providers.
Some insurance companies may add restrictions on where you can have the MRCP test done if you belong to a particular provider network.
What to Bring
Bring photo identification and your medical insurance information with you on the day of the MRCP exam.
Other Considerations
Your healthcare team will go over your personal history and any risks with you before you have the test.
If the need for you to have an MRCP is an emergency and there is a reason why you should not have the test (contraindication), talk to your medical team. For example, some implants are compatible with MRIs, so it’s safe for you to be in the machine if you have them.
Related: Study Finds Patients With Pacemakers Can Safely Have MRIs
During an MRCP
From the time you arrive at the facility until you head home, your MRCP should take less than two hours. There are several stages you will go through during that time.
Before the Test
Pre-test, the technician who will be doing the scan will review some personal information with you. The topics that they may ask you about include:
Reason for the test
Medical history
Reasons it would not be safe for you to have the test (contraindications)
Risks
If you need to have contrast dye or other medications during the test, the technician or another healthcare provider may put an intravenous catheter (IV) in your arm to give you the dyes. You may also be given some medicine to help you relax (sedation) during the test.
Once you have changed into a gown, been given instructions, and finished any other preparation you need, you will be asked to lie on a table that goes in and out of the scanner.
Throughout the Test
Throughout the test, you will need to lie flat on a table that slides in and out of the MRI machine. The technician will be in a connected room, so you will be alone in the scanner. Most facilities will offer you headphones to make sure you can hear any instructions from the technician (like when to hold your breath or when to breathe) during the scan.
MRI scanners can be loud and make a clicking or banging sound. These sounds can cause some people anxiety. Your testing center may offer to play music for you through the headphones you’re wearing during the scan to help you feel more comfortable.
The scanning part of the test itself will take only about 15 minutes. However, certain factors can make it take longer, including:
Your anatomy
How well you are able to hold still during the exam
The types of images your healthcare provider has ordered
Duration
Your entire time in the MRI exam room for an MRCP test should be about 40 to 80 minutes.
Related: What Are MRIs Used For?
Post-Test
When the test is over, the machine will be stopped, and the table will slide you out of the scanner. A technician will enter the room and help you through the last steps.
Does an MRCP Test Hurt?
The scan itself is painless and noninvasive. However, it can be uncomfortable if you feel anxious in small, enclosed spaces or have pain when lying down.
After MRCP
Post-test, any IVs that were placed for the test will be taken out and you will change back into your regular clothes. If you are at an outpatient center, you may need someone to drive you home if you were given sedation for the test. If you are having the test as an inpatient at a hospital, you will be taken back to your room when the test is done.
Managing Side Effects
You should not have any side effects from the MRCP scan itself. However, if you got contrast dye during the scan, you will be given instructions about what to do to help clear it out of your body. This usually involves drinking plenty of fluids for the rest of the day.
After the scan, you might have:
If you had sedation or any medication to help relax you during the exam, you might feel groggy or tired for the rest of the day. That's why it's important that you have someone meet you so they can drive you home safely.
Interpreting MRCP Results
The technician who does your scan will not give you the results right away. The amount of time it takes to get the results will depend on where your test was done and who ordered it.
In many cases, you'll get your results in about a day. However, it could take longer. Depending on the results, your healthcare provider might also want you to have more tests.
Follow-Up
After going over your results, you and your provider will make a plan for moving forward with tests and treatment.
The follow-up care you may need will depend on what the scan showed. For example, infections and injuries can often be treated right away (for example, with antibiotics) while a finding like cancer will usually need more extensive follow-up.
In some cases, your provider might need more or different information. They may ask you to do the scan again or do another type of test.
Risks and Contraindications
MRCP is safe for most people. While MRI scans do not expose you to harmful radiation, the strong magnets that are used to create an image of your internal organs can cause medical devices, like implants or pacemakers, to malfunction.
Sometimes, steps can be taken to address and potentially prevent these problems. Still, MRIs might not be an option for people who have:
Implanted cardiac devices like pacemakers or defibrillators
Foreign metallic objects in their bodies
Implanted neurostimulation devices, which deliver electrical stimulation to the brain and spinal cord to help treat certain conditions
Implanted drug infusion pumps
Lines or medical catheters with metallic parts
Metallic fragments (shrapnel)
Clips for cerebral (brain) artery aneurysm
Tissue expanders, which are balloon-like devices often used before breast reconstruction
Artificial joints or limbs
Body piercings that cannot be taken out
Contrast Dye
There are also risks and considerations if contrast dye will be used during the test. Before any type of MRI, your healthcare team will review your allergies and general health.
Who Should Not Get an MRCP?
If you are pregnant, you should not be given contrast dye. However, you can usually still have a scan without the dye, if necessary.
Summary
An MRCP is a noninvasive test that can help your healthcare provider diagnose problems in specific organs inside your abdomen. The test uses an MRI machine to get images of organs like your pancreas and gallbladder.
The test usually does not hurt and cause side effects, but some people may feel anxious or claustrophobic in MRI scanners or have trouble staying still in the machine. Your provider should be able to give you the results of the test within a day. Based on what it shows, they will talk to you about what’s next in terms of more tests or treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you exposed to radiation during an MRCP?
No. An MRCP uses magnets, not radiation, to create images.
Can MRCP miss gallstones?
While it is possible, MRCP has a diagnostic accuracy of about 98%.
