Lena M.
Hallberg1, Annika Bergquist2, Nils Albiin1
1Radiology, Karolinska University
Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 2Gastroenterology
and Hepatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Insitutet,
Stockholm, Sweden
Cholangiocarcinoma
is a well known threat to patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).
Although, early diagnosis is crucial for curative surgical treatment, it is
difficult to differentiate malignant strictures from benign. We wanted to see if excretion hepatobiliary
contrast was inhibited in affected segments, as a sign of malignancy.
Therefore, six patients with PSC and a histopathologically confirmed
cholangiocarcinoma , were examined in a 1.5 T MRI and Gd-BOPTA i.v.
administered. In five of these patients there was no sign of excretion in
affected segments. Thus, inhibited hepatobiliary excretion is a sign of
cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.