CT virtual endoscopy of the ampulla of Vater: preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
To explore multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) virtual endoscopy (CTVE) in the detection of Vater's ampulla lesions.


METHODS
In addition to 30 healthy volunteers, 18 cases of common bile duct stones, and 7 cases of ampullary carcinoma were scanned with MSCT including virtual endoscopy (VE) reconstruction. Patterns of the duodenal papilla were then observed, and its size was measured.


RESULTS
Reconstructed images of CTVE in the volunteers showed that the normal type of the duodenal papilla was nodular in 16 cases, V-shaped in 8 cases, and Y-shaped in 6 cases. Its mean diameter was 0.84 ± 0.17 cm in the healthy volunteers; in patients with common bile duct stones of nodular type, mean diameter was 1.72 ± 0.32 cm. In ampullary cancer patients with an irregular protruded type, its diameter was 2.30 ± 0.85 cm, Overall the mean differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
CTVE is a convenience, no-wound, and precise clinical examination mode utilizing which the shape of duodenal papilla can be observed, and size of the latter can be measured.
Guo
Zhi-Jun
ZJ
Department of Radiology, North China Petroleum Bureau General Hospital, Renqiu, Hebei, China. Gzj3@163.com
Chen
Yan-Fang
YF
Zhang
Yu-Huan
YH
Meng
Fan-Jie
FJ
Lin
Qiang
Q
Cao
Bin
B
Zi
Xue-Rong
XR
Lu
Jun-Ying
JY
An
Ming-Hui
MH
Wang
Yi-Jun
YJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface