TY - JOUR
T1 - CT cholangiography
T2 - Assessment of feasibility and diagnostic reliability
AU - Morosi, Carlo
AU - Civelli, Enrico
AU - Battiston, Carlo
AU - Schiavo, Marcello
AU - Mazzaferro, Vincenzo
AU - Severini, Aldo
AU - Marchianò, Alfonso
PY - 2009/10
Y1 - 2009/10
N2 - Objective: To assess the reliability of computed tomography (CT) cholangiography in evaluating the anatomy of the intrahepatic biliary ducts. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight patients underwent CT cholangiography at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, Italy. Twenty-one patients were candidates for liver surgery and seven had suspected postoperative biliary complications. The patients had not dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary ducts at US examination and bilirubin levels were not higher than 2 mg/dl. To define the reability of the CT cholangiography, a scoring system (from 0 to 3) was used for each order of biliary branches. Results: In all cases, it was technically possible to carry out the CT cholangiography according to the protocol. There were no adverse reactions to the contrast agent. Two radiologists gave the maximum score of 3 for visualisation of the first- and second-order biliary branches in all cases. For visualisation of third- and fourth-order biliary branches the maximum score of 3 was given in 18 patients, a score of 2 in 8 patients and a score of 1 in 2 patients. Three anatomical variants of biliary ducts were detected. CT cholangiography was diagnostic in all seven cases of suspected postoperative biliary complications. Conclusion: Our work confirms the high spatial resolution and reability of CT cholangiography in evaluating the intrahepatic biliary anatomy of patients who are candidates for liver surgery, with non-dilated biliary ducts and with bilirubin levels no higher than 2 mg/dl.
AB - Objective: To assess the reliability of computed tomography (CT) cholangiography in evaluating the anatomy of the intrahepatic biliary ducts. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight patients underwent CT cholangiography at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, Italy. Twenty-one patients were candidates for liver surgery and seven had suspected postoperative biliary complications. The patients had not dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary ducts at US examination and bilirubin levels were not higher than 2 mg/dl. To define the reability of the CT cholangiography, a scoring system (from 0 to 3) was used for each order of biliary branches. Results: In all cases, it was technically possible to carry out the CT cholangiography according to the protocol. There were no adverse reactions to the contrast agent. Two radiologists gave the maximum score of 3 for visualisation of the first- and second-order biliary branches in all cases. For visualisation of third- and fourth-order biliary branches the maximum score of 3 was given in 18 patients, a score of 2 in 8 patients and a score of 1 in 2 patients. Three anatomical variants of biliary ducts were detected. CT cholangiography was diagnostic in all seven cases of suspected postoperative biliary complications. Conclusion: Our work confirms the high spatial resolution and reability of CT cholangiography in evaluating the intrahepatic biliary anatomy of patients who are candidates for liver surgery, with non-dilated biliary ducts and with bilirubin levels no higher than 2 mg/dl.
KW - 3D cholangiography
KW - Biliary ducts
KW - Computed tomography
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.05.011
DO - 10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.05.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 18602784
AN - SCOPUS:70349768920
VL - 72
SP - 114
EP - 117
JO - European Journal of Radiology
JF - European Journal of Radiology
SN - 0720-048X
IS - 1
ER -