title: Ultrasound and cholangiography for the diagnosis of biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: a comparative study.
abstract: The ability of ultrasound to detect biliary obstruction, bile leakage and generalized ductal changes after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was compared to cholangiography. Cholangiography was considered to be the gold standard. Adequate opacification of the biliary tree was achieved in 139 cholangiograms. Biliary obstruction, intermediate or large bile leakage, and generalized ductal changes were diagnosed with cholangiography in 15% (21/139), 14% (20/139), and 16% (22/139), respectively. Normal ultrasound findings could not exclude biliary stricture, generalized ductal changes, or bile leakage, and fluid collections were not correlated with bile leakage. Abnormal ultrasound findings were highly predictive of the cholangiographic diagnosis of biliary obstruction or generalized ductal changes (specificity of 98% and 100%, respectively). An irregular appearance of the bile ducts and increased periductal echogenicity proved to be characteristic features for generalized ductal changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Groningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van der Sluis
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van der Jagt
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Slooff
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bijleveld
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Haagsma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D001658:Biliary Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002758:Cholangiography; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation