Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neoplasms of the Biliary Tree

  • Chapter
Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

  • 1605 Accesses

Abstract

Neoplasms of the biliary tree include a wide spectrum of lesions that range from benign tumors, such as adenomas, to malignant lesions, such as adenocarcinomas. Cholangiocarcinoma is the tumor of the biliary tract that has the highest incidence and the poorest prognosis, which depends most of all on the therapeutic strategy. Accurate characterization in terms of diagnosis and staging of the neoplasms can be crucial for determining prognosis and treatment planning, and different imaging techniques can be used to achieve the best diagnostic setting of the case. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is one of the best imaging techniques for the depiction of the biliary tree, and it can be very helpful in cases of tumors with poor prognosis in which a life-saving therapeutic strategy depends mostly on the initial staging of the disease (e.g., in cholangiocarcinoma). For these reasons, in this chapter, cholangiocarcinoma is first comprehensively described, and following on from this there are brief descriptions of benign neoplasms of the biliary tree.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Blechacz B, Komuta M, Roskams T, Gores GJ (2011) Clinical diagnosis and staging of cholangiocarcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 8:512–522

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Lim JH (2003) Cholangiocarcinoma: morphologic classification according to growth pattern and imaging findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 181:819–827

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Clemett AR (1985) Carcinoma of the major bile ducts. Radiology 84:894–903

    Google Scholar 

  4. Alexander F, Rossi RL, O’Bryan M (1984) Biliary carcinoma: a review of 109 cases. Am J Surg 147:503–509

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Nesbit GM, Johnson CD, James EM et al (1998) Cholangiocarcinoma: diagnosis and evaluation of resectability by CT and sonography as procedures complementary to cholangiography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 151:933–938

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Edmondson HA (1958) Tumors of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts: atlas of tumor pathology. Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

    Google Scholar 

  7. Choi BI, Lee JM, Han JK (2004) Imaging of intrahepatic and hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 29:548–557

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Han JK, Lee JM (2004) Intrahepatic intraductal cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 29:558–564

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Choi SB, Kim KS, Choi JY et al (2009) The prognosis and survival outcome of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma following surgical resection: association of lymph node metastasis and lymph node dissection with survival. Ann Surg Oncol 163048–3056

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Vilgrain V (2008) Staging cholangiocarcinoma by imaging studies. HPB (Oxford) 10:106–109

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pavone P, Laghi A, Passariello R (1999) MR cholangiopancreatography in malignant biliary obstruction. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 20:317–323

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Madoff DC, Hicks ME, Vauthey JN et al (2002) Transhepatic portal vein embolization: anatomy, indications, and technical considerations. Radiographics 22:1063–1076

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Masselli G, Manfredi R, Vecchioli A, Gualdi G (2008) MR imaging and MR cholangiopancreatography in the preoperative evaluation of hilar cholangiocarcinoma: correlation with surgical and pathologic findings. Eur Radiol 18:2213–2221

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Manfredi R, Masselli G, Maresca G et al (2003) MR imaging and MRCP of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 28:319–325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee HY, Kim SH, Lee JM et al (2006) Preoperative assessment of respectability of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma: combined CT and cholangiography with revised criteria. Radiology 239:113–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Yeh TS, Jan YY, Tseng JH (2000) Malignant perihilar biliary obstruction: magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography findings. Am J Gastroenterol 95:432–440

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stroszczynski C, Hunerbein M (2005) Malignant biliary obstruction: value of imaging findings. Abdom Imaging 30:314–323

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Vogl TJ, Schwarz WO, Heller M, Herzog C (2006) Staging of Klatskin tumours (hilar cholangiocarcinomas): comparison of MR cholangiography, MR imaging, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. Eur Radiol 16:2317–2325

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lim JH, Lee WJ, Takehara Y, Lim HK (2004) Imaging of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 29:565–571

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Takehara Y (2004) Preoperative assessment of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with imaging. Abdom Imaging 29:572–580

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Seo H, Lee JM, Kim IH et al (2009) Evaluation of the gross type and longitudinal extent of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas on contrast-enhanced multidetector row computed tomography. J Comput Assist Tomography 33:376–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Adamek HE, Albert J, Weitz M (1998) A prospective evaluation of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in patients with suspected bile duct obstruction. Gut 43:680–683

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mohamadnejad M, DeWitt JM, Sherman S et al (2011) Role of EUS for preoperative evaluation of cholangiocarcinoma: a large single-center experience. Gastrointest Endosc 73:71–78

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Park MS, Kim TK, Kim KW et al (2004) Differentiation of extrahepatic bile duct cholangiocarcinoma from benign stricture: findings at MRCP versus ERCP. Radiology 233:234–240

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan (2000) The general rules for the clinical and pathological study of primary liver cancer, 4th edn. Tokyo: Kanehara

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lim JH (2003) Cholangiocarcinoma: morphologic classification according to growth pattern and imaging findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 181: 819–827

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Lim JH, Park CK (2004) Pathology of cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 29:540–547

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kim TK, Choi BI, Han JK (1997) Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma of the liver: two-phase helical CT findings. Radiology 204:539–543

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Lee WJ, Lim HK, Jang KM (2001) Radiologic spectrum of cholangiocarcinoma: emphasis on unusual manifestations and differential diagnosis. Radiographics 21:S97–116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Zen Y, Adsay NV, Bardadin K (2007) Biliary intraepithelial neoplasia: an international interobserver agreement study and proposal for diagnostic criteria. Mod Pathol 20:701–709

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Kim JE, Lee JM, Kim SH et al (2010) Differentiation of intraductal growing-type cholangiocarcinomas from nodular-type cholangiocarcinomas at biliary MR imaging with MR cholangiography. Radiology 257:364–372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Lim JH, Chin AY, Lim HK et al (2002) Radiological spectrum of intraductal papillary tumors of the bile ducts. Korean J Radiol 3:57–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Lim JH, Kim MH, Kim TK et al (2003) Papillary neoplasms of the bile duct that mimic biliary stone disease. Radiographics 23:447–455

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Han JK, Lee JM (2004) Intrahepatic intraductal cholangiocarcinoma. Abdom Imaging 29:558–564

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Clayton RA, Clarke DL, Currie6EJ et al (2003) Incidence of benign pathology in patients undergoing hepatic resection for suspected malignancy. Surgeon 1:32–38

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Elsayes KM, Oliveira EP, Narra6VR et al (2006) MR and MRCP in the evaluation of primary sclerosing cholangitis: current applications and imaging findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr 30:398–404

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Vitellas KM, Keogan MT, Freed KS et al (2000) Radiologic manifestations of sclerosing cholangitis with emphasis on MR cholangiopancreatography. Radiographics 20:959–975

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Lee WJ, Lim HK, Jang KM et al (2001) Radiologic spectrum of cholangiocarcinoma: emphasis on unusual manifestations and differential diagnoses. Radiographics 21:S97–S116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Sato Y, Osaka H, Harada6K et al (2010) Intraductal tubular neoplasm of the common bile duct. Pathol Int 60:516–519

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zen Y, Pedica F, Patcha VR et al (2011) Mucinous cystic neoplasms of the liver: a clinicopathological study and comparison with intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct. Mod Pathol 24:1079–1089

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Ray S, Khamrui S, Mridha AR, Mukherjee B (2010) Extrahepatic biliary cystadenoma: an unusual cause of recurrent cholangitis. Am J Surg 199:e3–e4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, G.B. Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Riccardo Manfredi

Authors
  1. Riccardo Manfredi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alberto Contro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Chiara Ambrosetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ugolino Alfonsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Valerio Di Paola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Roberto Pozzi Mucelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Riccardo Manfredi .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Italia

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Manfredi, R., Contro, A., Ambrosetti, M.C., Alfonsi, U., Di Paola, V., Mucelli, R.P. (2013). Neoplasms of the Biliary Tree. In: Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2844-9_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2844-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2843-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2844-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation