title: Endoscopic ultrasonography versus other diagnostic modalities in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis.
abstract: Until recently, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of and therapy in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis. However, the non-negligible complication rate of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP has led investigators to identify different noninvasive diagnostic modalities. Endoscopic ultrasonography has been proved to be of great sensitivity (up to 97%) in the diagnosis of even tiny stones that can be easily masked by contrast medium during ERCP, without any procedure-related complications and with a negative predictive value reaching 100%, meaning that it can accurately and safely identify patients with choledocholithiasis, thereby avoiding inappropriate instrumental exploration of the common bile duct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Athens Naval and Veterans Hospital, Nafpaktias 5, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Athens, Greece. spisgon@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Spiros N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sgouros
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergele
mesh_terms: D002758:Cholangiography; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019160:Endosonography; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed