The intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts in surgical jaundice: radiological evaluation and therapeutic implications.

Many invasive and noninvasive imaging modalities are available to image the biliary tract in suspected surgical jaundice. Technical advances in existing techniques and development of new techniques allow biliary obstruction to be detected in its earliest stages. Criteria for the presence of biliary obstruction include anatomic visualization and measurement of both the intrahepatic and extrahepatic portions of the biliary tree. These criteria will be reviewed and potential diagnostic pitfalls discussed. Anicteric dilatation, disparate dilatation, and segmental obstruction of the biliary tract will be discussed as these entities pose a diagnostic as well as therapeutic challenge. The newer endoscopic and percutaneous interventional techniques will be considered and placed in perspective.