Identification of cerebral response to balloon distention of the bile duct.
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.
Sai
Jin Kan
JK
Department of Gastroenterology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan. jinkans@juntendo.ac.jp
Suyama
Masafumi
M
Kubokawa
Yoshihiro
Y
Matsumura
Yuuji
Y
Inami
Koichi
K
Watanabe
Sumio
S
Kirino
Eiji
E
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
D010100:Oxygen