Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhanced scans, including magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), in clinical staging of patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Methods 61 patients with CC were encountered in our hospital between October 2023 and June 2025, and they all received enhanced CT, MRI and MRCP examination before surgery. The diagnosis and tumor staging were proven by histopathological study. Diagnostic consistence was analyzed by Kappa. Results Of the 61 patients with CC, liver histopathological examination found clinical stage Ⅰ in 10 cases, stage Ⅱ in 15 cases, stage Ⅲ in 19 cases and stage Ⅳ in 17 cases; accuracy rate of CT combined with MRI and MRCP in the diagnosis of clinical stage II was 93.3%, much higher than 53.3%(P<0.05) by CT scan; accuracy rate of the three combination in the diagnosis of clinical stage Ⅲ was 94.7%, much higher than 63.2%, 68.4% and 63.2% (P<0.05) by CT, or MRI or MRCP alone; accuracy rate of the three combination in the diagnosis of clinical stage Ⅳ was 94.1%, much higher than 52.9%, 64.7% and 58.8% (P<0.05) by CT, or MRI or MRCP alone; of 41 patients with hilar CC, accuracy of MRCP in diagnosis of Bismuth-Corlette Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲa, Ⅲb and Ⅳ was 70.7%(29/41). Conclusion Clinical staging of patients with CC by enhanced CT, MRI and MRCP combination has a high diagnostic performance, which could provide a imaging basis for preoperative accurate tumor staging, surgical resectability assessment and individualized treatment strategy.

Key words: Cholangiocarcinoma, Clinical staging, Computed tomography, Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, Diagnosis