Biliary tract dilatation without jaundice demonstrated by ultrasound

Upper abdominal ultrasonic examination demonstrated dilated bile ducts in eight patients with no history of jaundice and a normal serum bilirubin. All were proven subsequently to have extrahepatic biliary obstruction. It is important to recognise that ultrasound may be more sensitive than serum bilirubin in the diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary obstruction.