Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MR) combined with MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in gallbladder carcinoma and local tissue and organ invasion. Methods The clinical data of 132 patients with gallbladder carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were diagnosed by pathology or biopsy. There were 114 cases of gallbladder carcinoma and 18 cases of gallbladder benign tumor. All patients were MRI, MRCP, MSCT examination. The diagnostic value of MRI combined with MRCP, MRI, MSCT in gallbladder carcinoma and local tissue and organ invasion were compared. Results The sensitivity of MRI combined with MRCP in the diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma was 96.5% higher than that of MRI 90.4% and MSCT86.0% (P>0.05). MRI combined with MRCP examination of gallbladder carcinoma specificity was 88.9% higher than MRI 72.2%, MSCT55.6% (P <0.05). MRI combined with MRCP examination of gallbladder cancer misdiagnosis rate was 11.1% lower than MRI 27.8%, MSCT44.4% (P<0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity of MRI combined with MRCP and MRI in the diagnosis of bile duct invasion, direct liver infiltration and hepatic portal lymph node invasion were higher than that of MSCT (P <0.05). MRI and MRCP examination of the above-mentioned tissue invasion of the diagnostic sensitivity slightly higher than the MRI examination (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the sensitivity of pancreatic infiltration in the three groups (P>0.05). MRI combined with MRCP examination, MRI examination of gallbladder cancer clinical staging rate was 95.6%, 93.9% higher than the MSCT examination 79.8% (P<0.05). MRI combined with MRCP examination of gallbladder cancer clinical staging rate was slightly higher than that of MRI (P>0.05). Conclusion MRI combined with MRCP is effective in the diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma. Its specificity and sensitivity are high, and the local infiltration range is evaluated accurately. The coincidence rate of clinical stage is also high, which is worthy of clinical choice.