Image Quality in Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography Exams: Study Between Açai Juice and a Manufactured Contrast Agent

The aim of this study were: to compare image quality obtained with a natural juice (açai) and a manufactured contrast employed as negative oral contrast agents in Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) exams. After in vitro experiments with several juice samples of pineapple and açai fruits, açai juice was chosen as natural contrast agent. 64 patients were submitted to MRCP exams in a clinic of Curitiba city (Brazil), on 2 consecutive days. On the 1st day a manufactured contrast was offered to patients and, on the 2nd a natural juice. 2 radiologists (R1 and R2) evaluated the images, classifying them by a score and checking if a picture could replace the other, for the issuance of a medical report. Evaluating images on the 1st day, R1 furnished an average score of 3.52 and R2 of 3.27. On the 2nd day, R1 provided 3.44 and R2 3.38. Also, R2 provided better scores for natural juice. The evaluators considered that image quality with contrast was adequate for 62 (96.9%) patients. With juice, R1 and R2 considered adequate for 62 (96.9%) and 60 (93.8%) patients, respectively. Considering both radiologists, image quality was better than 93.8% and, equal to 96.9% for juice and contrast, respectively. Thus, açai juice can be employed as an alternative to contrast agents in MCRP exams since a standardized protocol is implemented.