# If the MRI MRCP showed that all of my son's bile ducts, inside and outside if the liver are "affected" or "diseased" on an MRI MRCP, does that mean he has cirrhosis?

**URL:** <https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631>\
**Category:** Life with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis\
**Created:** [May 7, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631 "2015-05-07T19:50:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rivermouse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithpsc.org/rivermouse/32/870_2.png) [@Rivermouse](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/u/Rivermouse)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631/1 "2015-05-07T19:50:59Z")

</div>

My son has no strictures yet but all ducts inside and outside of the liver are involved. Does that mean he does or does not have cirrhosis? Or is that determination only made by actual biopsy?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrTwissel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithpsc.org/mrtwissel/32/868_2.png) [@MrTwissel](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/u/MrTwissel)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631/2 "2015-05-08T16:08:45Z")

</div>

It is my understanding that classic PSC involves intra and extra hepatic strictures. I think that’s pretty common, usually it takes years for the liver to be injured by the toxic bile sitting in the liver, a mix of lfts, cbc bloodwork as well as CT scans and ultrasounds, and of course liver biopsy can be used to detect cirrhosis of the liver.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Crewmom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithpsc.org/crewmom/32/852_2.png) [@Crewmom](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/u/Crewmom)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631/3 "2015-05-09T04:16:37Z")

</div>

Fibroscans and MREs (elastography) are also used to stage fibrosis/cirrhosis. Non-invasive alternatives so less risk involved compared to a biopsy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rivermouse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithpsc.org/rivermouse/32/870_2.png) [@Rivermouse](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/u/Rivermouse)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.livingwithpsc.org/t/if-the-mri-mrcp-showed-that-all-of-my-sons-bile-ducts-inside-and-outside-if-the-liver-are-affected-or-diseased-on-an-mri-mrcp-does-that-mean-he-has-cirrhosis/631/4 "2015-05-09T11:38:44Z")

</div>

Thank you for you replies. Does it mean that he definitely does NOT have cirrhosis?