| Theme |
Current Treatment Strategies for Common Bile Duct Stones |
| Title |
Diagnostic Imaging of Bile Duct Stones |
| Author |
Naotaka Fujita |
Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Medical Center |
| Author |
Yutaka Noda |
Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Medical Center |
| Author |
Go Kobayashi |
Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Medical Center |
| Author |
Katsumi Kimura |
Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Medical Center |
| Author |
Kei Ito |
Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Medical Center |
| [ Summary ] |
Diagnosis of bile duct stones has become easier and more accurate with the recent development of diagnostic imaging. The diagnostic modalities vary from noninvasive methods, such as transabdominal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreato graphy (MRCP) to endoscopy-assisted ones (endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan creatography (ERCP), intraductal ultrasonography, and peroral cholangioscopy) or percutaneous transhepatic procedures. Early use of MRCP is efficacious in detecting patients who require treatment. ERCP can be followed by endoscopic treatment (endoscopic sphincterotomy/papillary balloon dilatation). When the transpapillary approach is impossible, percutaneous transhepatic measures are indicated, which are followed by percutaneous transhepatic cholangios copy-guided lithotripsy. |