Cholangiography is the imaging of the

bile duct A bile duct is any of a number of long tube-like structures that carry bile, and is present in most vertebrates. The bile duct is separated into three main parts: the fundus (superior), the body (middle), and the neck (inferior). Bile is requ ...

(also known as the biliary tree) by

x-rays An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...

and an injection of contrast medium. __TOC__

Types

There are at least four types of cholangiography: #

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, percutaneous hepatic cholangiogram (PTHC) is a radiological technique used to visualize the anatomy of the biliary tract. A contrast medium is injected into a bile duct in the liver, after which X-rays a ...

(PTC): Examination of

liver The liver is a major metabolic organ (anatomy), organ exclusively found in vertebrates, which performs many essential biological Function (biology), functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of var ...

and bile ducts by x-rays. This is accomplished by the insertion of a thin needle into the liver carrying a contrast medium to help to see blockage in liver and bile ducts. #

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a technique that combines the use of endoscopy An endoscopy is a procedure used in medicine to look inside the body. The endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior ...

(ERCP). Although this is a form of imaging, it is both diagnostic and therapeutic, and is often classified with surgeries rather than with imaging. # Primary cholangiography (or ''perioperative''): Done in the operation room during a biliary drainage intervention. # Secondary cholangiography: Done after a biliary drainage intervention. In both cases

fluorescent Fluorescence is one of two kinds of photoluminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, many substances will glow (fluoresce) with color ...

fluids are used to create contrasts that make the diagnosis possible. Cholangiography has largely replaced the previously used method of intravenous cholangiography (IVC). * Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is another cholangiography method.

References

{{Medical imaging Projectional radiography Hepatology Digestive system imaging