[Obstructive jaundice of benign and malignant origin: radiodiagnosis (author's transl)]

Sonography and abdominal survey are the basic image-producing examinations in obstructive jaundice. Excretory cholegraphy fails when the serum bilirubin level is more than 2 mg%. The method of choice for direct visualization of the biliary tract is to try an endoscopic retrograde contrast injection. If this fails, percutaneous transhepatic cholegraphy may be offered with more than 90% accuracy. This simple technique is easily changed into percutaneous biliary drainage. Our experience with more than 120 cases is reported.