Background and aim: Many technical developments of computed tomography (CT) made in recent years have improved imaging quality. However, the diagnostic efficacy of CT with coronal reconstruction for choledocholithiasis remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate if CT with coronal reconstruction can aid in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis.
Methods: Two hundred and sixty-six patients with clinically suspected choledocholithiasis undergoing abdominal CT before endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were recruited. Among them, 163 patients confirmed with choledocholithiasis were divided into three groups: group 1, 92 patients undergoing CT using 5-mm thick sections with coronal reconstruction; group 2, 32 patients undergoing CT using 5-mm thick sections without coronal reconstruction; and group 3, 39 patients undergoing CT using 7-mm thick sections without coronal reconstruction. The diagnostic rate of CT for choledocholithiasis, the stone size and biochemical data among the three groups were analyzed.
Results: The sensitivity and specificity of CT in diagnosing choledocholithiasis were 77.3% and 72.8%. There was no significant difference of CT diagnostic rate among the three groups (75.0%, 81.2% and 79.5%, respectively). The diameter of common bile duct (CBD), size of CBD stones and white cell count showed significant differences between CT true-positive and false-negative cases in group 1 patients. The CT diagnostic rate was significantly lower in patients with choledocholithiasis of less than 5 mm than in patients with choledocholithiasis of 5 mm or more (56.5% vs 81.2%).
Conclusion: The coronal reconstruction of CT imaging did not increase its diagnostic efficacy on choledocholithiasis. The stone size affects the diagnostic rate of abdominal CT for detecting choledocholithiasis.