Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.  2009 Jul;39(1):14-21.

The Usefulness of 64-Multidetector CT Cholangiography for Diagnosis of Distal Common Bile Duct Obstruction: Comparison with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

• Choi JH
• Lee MY
• Jeon WJ
• Chae HB
• Park SM
• Youn SJ
• Choi JW
• Bae IH

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 64-multidetector CT (MDCT) cholangiography for determining the causes of distal common bile duct (CBD) obstruction.
METHODS
Two hundred fifty consecutive patients underwent 64-MDCT for diagnosing the clinical and biochemical signs of bile duct obstruction. The causes of bile duct obstruction were assessed by the pre- and post-enhanced axial and coronal multiplanar reformation images of 64-MDCT. The results were compared with ERCP, biopsy and surgery.
RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of MDCT for CBD stones were 96.1% and 84.9%, respectively. In seven patients, The CBD stones in 7 patients could not be detected on MDCT. Eleven patients with stones in the distal CBD, as detected on MDCT, had no stones seen on ERCP. For malignant obstruction, the sensitivity and specificity of MDCT were 97.0% and 98.6%, respectively. Three patients who were diagnosed with periampullary cancers on MDCT were disclosed to have severe papillitis on ERCP. One patient who was diagnosed with CBD stone by MDCT was disclosed to have ampullary cancer. The overall accuracy of MDCT for determining the causes of biliary obstruction was 90.5%.
CONCLUSIONS
MDCT cholangiography is a non-invasive method with relatively high sensitivity and high specificity for diagnosing the causes of distal CBD obstruction.

Keyword

64 channel MDCT cholangiography; Bile duct obstruction; ERCP

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Cholangiography
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholestasis
Common Bile Duct
Humans
Papilledema
Sensitivity and Specificity