Ultrasonic features of cholangiocarcinoma.

Sonographic features in 12 cases of proven cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed and correlated with findings on direct cholangiography. Proximal bile duct dilation was present in all cases of cholangiocarcinoma of the intrahepatic ducts except one. A neoplastic bile duct segment was detected in nine of the 12 cases. The neoplasms were seen as narrowed, normal-sized, or enlarged ducts, and contained intraluminal soft-tissue echoes or echogenic bands across the lumens. The sonographic accuracy was greater for lesions involving the bifurcation and the common hepatic duct than for common bile duct lesions. Cholangiography was superior to sonography in determining the length of the involved segment, whereas sonography was superior in detecting hepatic invasion and lymphadenopathy.