Common bile duct visualization with a nonvisualized gallbladder in oral cholecystography: radiological and surgical study.

A series of 203 cholecystectomied patients in which the gallbladder was not visualized in oral cholecystography is analysed. In 72 cases the common bile duct was seen. In 4 cases it was dilated. At operation, cholecystolithiasis was found in 189 cases, a calculus in the common bile duct in 3 cases, and a neoplasm in 3 cases. In 6 cases there was inflammation but no calculi. Administration of 2 g of sodium iopanoate on 2 successive days before the examination seems to result in frequent visualization of the common bile duct. It also seems to be an accurate method in biliary tract disease when the gallbladder was not adequately visualized.