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Review
. 2022 Jan 17;58(1):135.
doi: 10.3390/medicina58010135.

Biliary Tree Diagnostics: Advances in Endoscopic Imaging and Tissue Sampling

Matteo Ghisa  1   2 , Angelo Bellumat  1 , Manuela De Bona  1 , Flavio Valiante  1 , Marco Tollardo  1 , Gaia Riguccio  1 , Angelo Iacobellis  1 , Edoardo Savarino  2 , Andrea Buda  1
Affiliations
Review

Biliary Tree Diagnostics: Advances in Endoscopic Imaging and Tissue Sampling

Matteo Ghisa et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

The diagnostic approach to the biliary tree disorders can be challenging, especially for biliary strictures. Albeit the great diagnostic impact of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) which allows one to obtain fluoroscopic imaging and tissue sampling through brush cytology and/or forceps biopsy, a considerable proportion of cases remain indeterminate, leading to the risk of under/over treated patients. In the last two decades, several endoscopic techniques have been introduced in clinical practice, shrinking cases of uncertainties and improving diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this review is to discuss recent advances and emerging technologies applied to the management of biliary tree disorders through peroral endoscopy procedures.

Keywords: biliary tree disorders; cholangiocarcinoma; cholangioscopy; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; endoscopic ultrasound; indeterminate strictures.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline with the landmark advancements in the assessment of the biliary tree disorders.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cholangioscopy images of a stenosis just below the hepatic hilum, obtained with the SpyGlass DS system. Cholangioscopy-targeted biopsies confirmed the presence of adenocarcinoma (type I cholangiocarcinoma according to Bismuth–Corlette classification).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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