title: Dilatation of the cystic duct in patients with obstructive jaundice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well known that obstructive jaundice causes biliary dilatation, but sonographic (US) findings of the cystic duct in patients with obstructive jaundice are rarely reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed US findings in 25 such patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  US findings of dilated cystic duct could be divided roughly into two patterns: tortuous and tubular. The former pattern was a tortuously dilated cystic duct arising from the gallbladder neck, running predominantly deeply, turning anteromedially, and then joining the posterior face of the common hepatic duct. The latter pattern was a straight dilated cystic duct running parallel with the common hepatic duct, giving the appearance of a septated bile duct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A better understanding of the US findings of dilated cystic duct translates into improved biliary US diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita-City, Akita 010-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naganuma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komatsuda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003549:Cystic Duct / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography