[Diagnostic value of sonography of the bile ducts (author's transl)]

In obstructive biliary disease sonography proves to have a high diagnostic informative value. Dilatation of intra-and extrahepatic bile ducts is documented sonographically. In the majority of cases, analysis of sonographic findings will clarify the cause of biliary obstruction like cholecysto-cholangiolithiasis, carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, or various neoplastic disease in the area of the liver hilus. The obtained information is independent from contraindications like contrast medium allergies and severe parenchymal liver disease with impaired biliary secretion of contrast media.