title: Evaluation of normal bile duct and cholangitis by intraductal ultrasonography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The intraductal ultrasonographic findings of normal bile duct and cholangitis were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 9 autopsy cases and evaluated the clinical records of 76 patients who had been subjected to papillotomy for bile duct stones removal retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro study: Under a low pressure, the bile duct wall was thick, and the inner surface and outer contour were irregular. The wall became thinner, and the inner surface and outer contour became smooth as the pressure was increased. The thickness was 0.68 +/- 0.12 mm (mean +/- SD) all along the duct at all pressure, and 0.55 +/- 0.12 mm at a pressure above 15 cm H(2)O. The internal echo was homogenous regardless of the internal pressure used. In vivo study: We could evaluate in 70 patients (92.1%). The wall was 1.30 +/- 0.77 mm thick. There was no relationship between the severity of cholangitis and the wall thickness. The irregular inner surface, heterogeneous internal echo, and irregular outer contour correlated with the severity of cholangitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The normal bile duct wall was between 0.31 and 0.79 mm thick, the inner and outer surfaces were smooth, and internal echo was homogenous. An irregular inner surface, heterogeneous internal echo and an irregular outer contour were important findings of severe cholangitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Numazu-shi, Japan. gha04457@nifty.com
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuyuguchi
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saisho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002102:Cadaver; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography