Ultrasound in cholangiofibromas of the liver detected by laparoscopy.

We investigated the question as to whether benign cholangiofibromas of the liver (biliary microharmatomas) show specific structures in ultrasound. Patients with single, sporadic, multiple or diffuse cholangiofibromas (n = 53), detected by laparoscopy and verified by histology, were examined by ultrasound. The single and sporadic type (n = 30) could not be detected by US. In patients with the multiple and diffuse type (N = 23) the descriptive US finding was: "increased content of fibrous tissue, cirrhotic transformation possible". Thus we conclude that patients with non-specific alterations of the liver in the ultrasound image must undergo further investigation by laparoscopy. Blind biopsy is not capable of verifying the presence of cholangiofibromas.