J Vet Sci.  2018 Sep;19(5):653-659. 10.4142/jvs.2018.19.5.653.

Evaluation of gallbladder and common bile duct size and appearance by computed tomography in dogs

• Park HY
• Cho YG
• Lee YW
• Choi HJ

• KMID: 2420934
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2018.19.5.653

Abstract

The feasibility of using computed tomography (CT) to identify the common bile duct (CBD) and comparison with ultrasonography (US) results were evaluated in normal beagle dogs and dogs without hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. In addition, CBD diameters were obtained from CT at the level of the porta hepatis and the duodenal papilla level in dogs with underlying diseases that may cause cholestasis. US is a useful modality in the estimation of gallbladder volume because ejection fraction and CBD diameter from US were not significantly different from those of CT. The normal biliary tract was visible on CT images in 68% of the normal dog group. CBD diameter was not over 3 mm and 3.5 mm at the porta hepatis and duodenal papilla levels, respectively in normal dogs weighing less than 15 kg. Dogs suspected to have cholestasis associated with hepatobiliary or pancreatic diseases had significantly larger CBD than that in normal dogs.

Keyword

cholestasis; common bile duct; computed tomography; dogs; ultrasonography

MeSH Terms

Animals
Biliary Tract
Cholestasis
Common Bile Duct*
Dogs*
Gallbladder*
Pancreatic Diseases
Ultrasonography

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Ultrasonographic images of gallbladder (GB) in longitudinal (A) and transverse (B) planes. Maximum length (A; double arrow), width (B; double arrow) and depth (B; dashed double arrow) were measured to evaluate GB volume.

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  Fig. 2 Ultrasonographic images of the bile duct in a normal beagle illustrating where the three duct diameters were measured. Cystic duct in gallbladder (GB) level (A), common bile duct (CBD) at the porta hepatis level (B), and CBD at the duodenal papilla level (C) on transverse (A) and sagittal images (B and C). Diameter of bile duct (*) is measured as the maximum length perpendicular to long axis of the duct. PV, portal vein; DUO, duodenum.

• 

  Fig. 3 Representative reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) volume rendered image of gallbladder (GB). The GB volume was measured through the application of 3D volume rendering. Bile duct diameters were measured at three measurement sites: cystic duct at the GB level (a), common bile duct (CBD) at the porta hepatis level (b), and CBD at the duodenal papilla level (c).

• 

  Fig. 4 Box and whisker plots of common bile duct (CBD) diameter in the normal and cholestasis groups. CBD diameters were measured at the porta hepatis (A) and duodenal papilla (B) levels. CBD diameter of the cholestasis group was significantly higher than that in the normal group (*p < 0.05).

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