ObjectiveTo investigate the value of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the assessment of bile duct complications after cholecystectomy. MethodsFifty patients of having bile duct complications after cholecystectomy underwent MR imaging and had some positive manifestations. The indication for cholecystectomy was symptometic cholelithiasis in all cases. MR imaging was performed with a 1.5T clinical imager including all of the sequences of: ①T1 weighted imaging (T1WI) was performed in transverse and coronal plane before and after gadolinium-enhanced. ②T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) was performed in transverse plane. ③A true fast imaging with steadystate precession sequence (True fisp) was performed in coronal plane. ④MR cholangiopancreatography was also obtained. ResultsThe bile duct complications after cholecystectomy including: 22 cases of cholelithiasis, 15 cases of chronic cholangitis with or without bile duct abscess. Bile duct strictures or abruption at the confluence of hepatic and common bile duct in 6 and 3 cases respectively. Tumors of bile duct or pancreas in 9 cases. The other complications after cholecystectomy including bile leak with choleperitonitis and/or biloma and acute pancreatitis.ConclusionMR imaging was a valuable method for the assessment of bile duct complications after cholecystectomy. MR imaging could assess the etiology of bile duct complications. If there were bile duct obstruction, MR imaging could assess the location and the severe of obstruction. For bile duct or pancreatic tumors, MR imaging could assess the areas of tumor infiltration and resection and was helpful to select treatment methods. Before lapatoscopic cholecystectomy, the overall and careful imaging assessment for bile duct and gallbladder and its adjacent hepatic tissue and pancreas so to avoid missing the relative tumors.