Diagnosis and treatment of choledochal cyst with intrahepatic bile duct dilatation and complicated bile duct malformation

Objective To review imaging studies of choledochal cysts. Methods Fifty-seven patients with choledocal cysts between the age of 15 days to 14 years managed in our hospital in the past 10 years (1994 to 2004) were reviewed. The biliary pathologies were studied with, cholangiography and choledochoscopy and compared with the operative findings. Results (33.3% )of 57 cases had intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, 10 of them showed cystic malformation and stenosis. Stenosis includes an intraluminal membrane or septum. Nine cases showed funnel-shaped stenosis tapering from porta hepatic to distal end of bile duct. Two cases were accompanied with variant bile duct. In 3 cases, right and left hepatic ducts flow to choledochal cyst respectively.Conclusions The image examinations for choledocal cysts provides a helpful guidance for the surgical procedure.