title: Identification of cerebral response to balloon distention of the bile duct.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the brain loci that process human biliary sensation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 6 patients (age range: 42-74 years; 4 men), who underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), the distal biliary tract was stimulated by repeatedly inflating the balloon of the PTBD catheter so that it reached volumes that produced a definite painless sensation. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the cortical response to biliary sensation was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biliary balloon stimulation elicited activation of the insular cortex, prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biliary balloon stimulation evoked a cerebral cortical response detectable by fMRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan. jinkans@juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jin Kan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sai
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suyama
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubokawa
authors.forename: Yuuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inami
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kirino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen