Practical Guide for Radiological Diagnosis of Primary and Secondary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2022 Dec;43(6):490-509. doi: 10.1053/j.sult.2022.06.007. Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Abstract

Sclerosing cholangitis comprises a group of conditions that lead to chronic cholestatic disease of the bile ducts, characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and segmental strictures of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic ducts, and can be classified as primary sclerosing cholangitis or secondary sclerosing cholangitis. In this review, we follow a logical step-by-step appraisal of the clinical and radiological findings of the main secondary sclerosing cholangitis groups, finally arriving at the exclusion diagnosis, which is primary sclerosing cholangitis. At the end, a practical guide is provided, aiming to facilitate the radiological approach to this complex group of diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cholangitis, Sclerosing* / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Radiography
  • Radiology*