Biliary tract dilatation in chronic pancreatitis: CT and sonographic findings

The authors retrospectively evaluated 44 patients with chronic pancreatitis to determine (a) what features on computed tomographic and sonographic scans were associated with biliary tract dilatation, (b) how these findings and biliary tract dilatation changed at follow-up, and (c) the correlation between the degree of biliary tract dilatation and the laboratory and histologic findings when available. Twenty-four patients had biliary tract dilatation; of this group 88% had pancreatic calcifications and 75% had a focal mass in the pancreatic head. Sixteen of the 24 patients underwent follow-up studies; in 12 there was no change in the degree of biliary tract dilatation or appearance of the pancreas. The levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin were elevated in most of the 24 patients; at follow-up, however, there was no consistent relationship between these values and radiologic findings. Biopsy is recommended for those patients in whom the serum alkaline phosphatase level remains persistently elevated. Four of seven such patients in this study underwent biliary-enteric bypass procedures due to pathologic evidence of cholestasis.