Radiographic assessment of anomalous bile ducts.

We report 5 radiologically documented cases of anomalous bile duct drainage of a segment of the right lobe of the liver and/or the cystic duct. These anomalies may be suspected on preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative cholangiograms by the lack of visualization of the bile ducts draining a focal portion of the right lobe of the liver ("naked segment"). They may also be diagnosed definitively by direct duct opacification. Radiologic diagnosis prior to cholecystectomy may prevent inadvertent ligation or injury to the aberrant duct.