Benign biliary strictures: a current comprehensive clinical and imaging review.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Gastroenterology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Nonneoplastic biliary strictures present diagnostic challenges.
• Distinguishing benign from malignant strictures is crucial for patient management.
• Imaging is vital for assessing stricture extent and guiding biopsies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical and imaging features of benign biliary strictures.
• To aid radiologists in the accurate diagnosis of these entities.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical and imaging manifestations of benign biliary strictures.
• Correlation of imaging findings with epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data.

Main Results:

• Salient imaging findings characteristic of benign biliary strictures are detailed.
• Cross-sectional imaging allows precise localization and extent determination.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis relies on integrating imaging with clinical information.
• Imaging serves as a roadmap for surgical intervention.
• Imaging helps exclude underlying malignancy.