Preoperative assessment of the aberrant bile duct using multislice computed tomography cholangiography

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the frequency of anatomic variations of bile ducts (aberrant bile ducts) using multislice helical computed tomography (MCT) cholangiography.

Methods: MCT scanning was performed after slow infusion of 100 mL meglumine iotroxate. Overlapping axial images, taken at 0.5-mm intervals, were reconstructed to create a multiplanar reconstruction with volume rendering. We analyzed anatomical variations of the biliary tree by MCT cholangiography.

Results: In a total of 113 patients, MCT cholangiography provided clear images of aberrant bile ducts in 18 patients. Major type (draining a particular segment of the liver) was found in 9 cases (8%) and minor type (draining a particular subsegment of the liver) in 9 cases (8%).

Conclusions: Preoperative MCT cholangiography provides important information about the precise biliary anatomy and can reveal unexpected aberrant bile ducts prior to biliary surgery, especially laparoscopic cholecystectomy.