Preoperative evaluation of the longitudinal spread of extrahepatic bile duct cancer using multidetector computed tomography

Background/Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and direct cholangiography in evaluating the longitudinal spread of extrahepatic bile duct cancer. Methods Images obtained from a 16-detector row scanner (MDCT) and from direct cholangiography (via either endoscopic naso-biliary drainage or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage) of 47 patients with histopathologically proven extrahepatic bile duct cancer were retrospectively interpreted. Differences between measures of longitudinal tumor spread determined by each modality and measures of macroscopic spread in resected specimens were assessed and compared. Results Assessments carried out using MDCT differed significantly less from the macroscopic measurements than those made using direct cholangiography ( P