Background: We investigated the utility of a new imaging modality, three-dimensional intraductal ultrasonography (US), for staging bile duct cancer.
Methods: In eight patients with extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma, two- and three-dimensional intraductal US was used to assess tumor invasion of the right hepatic artery, portal vein, and pancreatic parenchyma before resection. The findings were correlated with histologic information from the resected specimen.
Results: Three-dimensional intraductal US enabled accurate assessment of tumor invasion of the right hepatic artery in 88% of cases, the portal vein in 100%, and pancreatic parenchyma in 100%. Two-dimensional intraductal US enabled accurate assessment of invasion of these structures in 88%, 88%, and 88% of cases.
Conclusions: Three-dimensional intraductal US is useful in assessing tumor stage in bile duct carcinoma.