Interdisciplinary diagnosis of choledochus cysts

: Cystic dilatations of the biliary tract are rare anomalies. In the individual case, diagnosis may pose great problems. The relevance of the various methods was assessed in eight patients investigated with different diagnostic methods. In all patients the predominant symptom was uncharacteristic upper abdominal complaints. Two patients showed intermittent jaundice. Among non-invasive methods sonography is preeminent and permits precise demonstration of intra- and extrahepatic biliary duct dilatations. It can be complemented by CAT-scanning. Whereas intravenous cholegraphy does not permit sufficient ascertainment of the diagnosis, ERCP and PTC allow precise demonstration of the anomaly. Functional hepatobiliary scanning is indicated where endoscopic methods are not available. Among the eight patients sonography was decisively relevant in five cases and ERCP in all cases. The remaining functional assessments furnished important additional informations.