Ultraschall Med 2005; 26 - P041
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-917541

THE USE OF ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE CAUSE OF COMMON BILE DUCT DILATION

Z Sajewicz 1, B Wozniak-Stolarska 1, A Salomon 1, E Poniewierka 1, R Kempinski 1
  • 1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland

Purpose: Ultrasonography /US/ does not come up to the expectations in the diagnosis of the causes of common bile duct /c.b.d./dilation.

The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasonography /EUS/ in the diagnosis of the causes of c.b.d. dilation.

Methods and Materials: We examined 30 persons /16 females and 14 males/ with c.b.d. dilated >7mm in US. In these patients we performed EUS with the usage of Pentax FG-38UX echoendoscope of 5–10MHz frequency connected with EUB 6000 Hitachi ultrasonograph looking for the cause of c.b.d. dilation. Findings gathered were verified with the usage of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography /ERCP/ or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography /MRCP/.

Results: In 16 patients we found stones in c.b.d. In ERCP or MRCP the frequency of c.b.d. stones was a bit higher. In these examinations c.b.d. stones were found in 18 patients. We found out that pancreatic head carcinoma was the cause of c.b.d. dilation in 7 patients; in 2 patients we diagnosed ampullary carcinoma and in 1 patient – carcinoma of distal part of c.b.d. In 1 patient inflammatory tumor of the head of the pancreas was the cause of c.b.d. dilation. In 1 patient we pointed out a benigne stricture of c.b.d. with dilation above the stricture.

Conclusions: EUS is a useful diagnosing method of the causes of c.b.d. dilation.