The Cholangiogram: Postmortem Study

By the use of intravenous sodium iodipamide (Cholografin) the extrahepatic bile ducts can be roentgenographically visualized in about two-thirds of the patients examined (5). Since the introduction of this radiopaque substance in 1953, increasing significance has been placed on the size of the extrahepatic bile ducts, though rather widely different estirnates of their normal dimensions have appeared in the literature. In addition, radiologic measurements differ greatly from direct measurements obtained postmortem. Because of these differences, a study was undertaken to determine the normal variations, both radiologically and anatomically, and to learn what factors influence the results. Materials and Methods The diameter and circumference of the hepatic ducts were determined by radiographic and anatomical studies in 88 cadavers. In 14 of these, radiographic studies were made both in situ and after excision. In 74, the radiographic measurements were made only on excised specimens. All of the anatomical mea...