[Value of bile cytology associated with brush cytology of the bile duct: a comparative study of 115 patients].

This study summarizes the results concerning 120 specimens of biliary cytology which were classified in 3 groups: bile cytology alone, bile duct brushing alone, combined bile cytology and bile duct brushing made during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with biliary tract stricture. Comparison of these three groups showed that the number of diagnoses of malignant disease was greater when bile cytology and bile duct brushing were combined. Thus we recommend the use of the combined bile and brush cytology in the event of presumed malignant non-operable stricture. Furthermore, the ERCP is less aggressive for the patient if bile and biliary brushings are collected without biopsy.