[Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography in the diagnosis of hepatic hydatidosis]

The Authors studied the role of E.R.C.P. in the presurgical investigations of hepatic hydatid cyst in a consecutive series of 24 patients. The reasons for admission and presurgical investigation (blood test, chest X-ray, plain abdominal X-ray, intravenous cholangiography, ultrasonography, liver scintigraphy, C.T., E.R.C.P.) are evaluated and compared. The results showed a good correlation, as related to the cyst and biliary tree relationship between operative findings and E.R.C.P. The E.R.C.P. provided an etiological diagnosis in obstructive jaundice and showed a biliary tract involvement by the cyst both in patients with a complication at admission or in the past history and in 25% of the asymptomatic patients (pericystic bilioma, exterior compression of bile ducts, direct communications between cyst and biliary tree).