Abstract
To estimate the utility of CT-cholangiography in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis, these studies were conducted in 415 cases.
In the studies concernd with visualization of common bile duct, the CT number in the liver disease group was not significantly higher than that in the normal group, nor was found an age-related trend such as CT number. Furthermore, when we compared IVC and CT with CTcholangiography, CT visualization was achieved even in many cases in poor- and non-IVC visualization groups, and the undilated bile duct in CT yielded a low visualization rate.
The diagnostic rates in 57 cases of choledocholithiasis were US 32%, IVC 44%, ERG 100%, CT 37% and CT-cholangiography 96%. Thus, except ERG which is a direct imaging method, CT-cholangiography was outstandingly superior. Comparison of diagnostic rates among the non -invasive methods by size of stone showed that CT-cholangiography was particulary useful for small stones not larger than 5mm.
