Inspissated bile within the common bile duct simulating cholangiocarcinoma. Case report.

There are a variety of abnormalities that can lead to obstruction of the common bile duct, several of which also can cause dilatation and duct irregularity. The differential diagnosis includes such entities as cholangiocarcinoma and carcinoma of the pancreas invading the common bile duct. We present an unusual case in which inspissated bile caused irregularity and obstruction of the common bile duct that radiographically simulated a cholangiocarcinoma.