Goldberg H I, Gordon R
University of California, San Francisco.
Curr Opin Radiol. 1991 Jun;3(3):453-62.
Various diagnostic imaging studies have been employed in the past year to evaluate the normal and abnormal biliary ductal system. Variations in the normal ductal drainage of the left lobe of the liver, in which the right lateral hepatic duct drained into the left hepatic duct, were studied because of the implications for the surgical resection of the left lobe. Choledochal cysts have been studied in adults using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to evaluate the abnormal junction between the common bile duct and pancreatic duct and the long dilated common channel. An ultrasound study indicated that children with choledochal cysts also may have intrahepatic duct dilatation. An increased incidence of malignancy has been noted in adults with choledochal cysts, and their appearance on ultrasound, CT, and cholangiography were described. Cystic fibrosis produces abnormalities of the biliary tree, extrahepatic strictures, and more interestingly, intrahepatic ductal dilatation and abnormal contour without strictures. The usefulness of the preoperative ultrasonographic evaluation of the biliary tract in Oriental cholangiohepatitis was stressed. Bile duct abnormalities in fascioliasis were also noted on CT scans. Patterns of abnormality in the CT appearance of the thickened, contrast-enhanced, extrahepatic bile ducts were elucidated. Focal concentric, focal excentric, diffuse concentric, and diffuse excentric ducts were seen with various forms of pancreatic disease, choledocholithiasis, and various forms of cholangitis. An enhanced, thick-walled duct indicates disease, but is a nonspecific finding. Chronic cholecystitis was found to produce false-positive cholescintigram results in patients with suspected acute cholecystitis, but only in those with severe degrees of chronic cholecystitis. The results of multicenter trials using extracorporeal biliary lithotripsy in the United States have been published. They are somewhat disappointing and do not confirm the original excellent results reported in Germany for treatment of gallbladder stones. Much interest has been focused on the use of expandable metallic stents for the treatment of benign and malignant biliary obstruction. Preliminary data suggest good patency rates for benign lesions. Patency rates for malignant lesions are similar to those of previously available plastic stents.
