title: Oral contrast-enhanced three-dimensional helical-CT cholangiography: clinical applications.
abstract: Our objective was to define the possibility of using oral-contrast-enhanced helical CT for the assessment of patients with cholecystolithiasis and of cholecystectomized symptomatic patients. Twenty-seven patients with cholecystolithiasis and 20 with a painful abdominal symptomatology after cholecystectomy (12 laparoscopic and 8 laparotomic) were recruited for this study. Cholangio-CT was performed 12-14 h after oral administration of 6 g of hyopanoic acid. The acquired data were then transferred to a second workstation and 3D reconstruction of the biliary tract was obtained. In all the cases the extrahepatic bile ducts were recognizable. Seven patients had no gallbladder opacification: CT images showed in 3 cases an infundibular stone and in 4 cases sclero-atrophic gallbladder. The intrahepatic bile ducts were visible in 21 of 27 patients with lithiasis and in 14 of 20 cholecystectomized patients. In 5 cholecystectomized patients cholangio-CT demonstrated the presence of residual choledochal or intrahepatic stones. In 3 cholecystectomized patients 3D reconstruction allowed identification of a long and winding stump of the cystic duct. Cholangio-CT is a non-invasive method to evaluate the biliary tract in patients who cannot be subjected to cholangio-MR, or as a preliminary to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in cases of doubtful diagnosis after US and cholangio-MR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital-Policlinico of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Amato Antonio
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Stabile Ianora
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Memeo
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scardapane
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angelelli
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002648:Child; D002758:Cholangiography / Q000379:methods*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017562:Postcholecystectomy Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media