• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.129-136
• /
• 2002

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of MRCP in the diagnosis of the variable causes of common bile duct(CBD) dilatation, except stone or tumor Materials and methods : Twenty-six patients(M:F=15:11, mean age; 62 years) with both MRCP and ERCP were included in this study. Dynamic MRCP(n=12) and contrast-enhanced MRI(n=10) of abdomen were also added. Dilatation of CBD, intrahepatic ducts and pancreatic duct was evaluated, including coexistence of intrahepatic ductal stone, pancreatic pseudocyst, and papillary or papillary edema. The criteria of CBD dilatation was over than 7mm(n= 21, without cholecystectomy) or 10 mm(n=5, with cholecystecto-my) in diameter on T2-weighted coronal image. Results : The mean diameter of CBD was 12.7mm without cholecystectomy(9-19 mm) and 13.0 mm with cholecystectomy(10-15mm), respectively(p 〉0.05). Cholangitis(n=11, 42.3%), chronic pancreatitis(n=8, 30.8%), stenosis of distal CBD(n= 6, 23.1%), periampullary diverticulum(n=3, 11.5%), stenosis of ampulla of Vater(n=2, 7.7%), dysfunction of sphincter of Oddi(n=2, 7.7%), acute focal pancreatitis in the pancreatic head(n=2, 7.7%), papillitis(n=1, 3.8%), pseudocyst in the pancre atic head(n = 1, 3.8%), and ascaris in CBD(n=1, 3.8%) were noted. Pancreatic duct dilatation(n=10, 38.5%) and duodenal diverticulum(n=3, 11.5%) were also seen on MRC P. On dynamic MRCP(12 patients), distal CBD was visualized in 2 patients(16.7%), which was not shown on routine MRCP. Only 1 patient(10.0%) showed papillitis with slightly enhancing papilla on contrast-enhanced MRI (10 patients). Conclusion : MRCP was thought to be helpful in the evaluation of the causes of CBD dilatation, not caused by stone or tumor, especially in the cases of stenosis of distal CBD and chronic pancreatitis, dysfunction of sphincter of Oddi on dynamic MRCP and cholangitis and pericholangitic abnormality on contrast-enhanced MRI.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.1772-1777
• /
• 2011

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene and sodium-independent $Cl^-/HCO_3^-$ anion exchanger (AE) genes are expressed in a wide variety of mammalian tissues including cholangiocytes. They play an important role in the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) as well as in transepithelial acid/base transport necessary for biliary bicarbonate secretion. The aim of this study was to examine the expression level of CFTR gene and AE genes (AE1, AE2 and AE3) in the cholangiocytes and the hepatocytes, and also measure AE2 gene expression level after bile duct ligation (BDL). As we previously described, isolated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes from the liver of normal and BDL rats were prepared and gene expression levels were measured by using RT-PCR. We found that AE1, AE2, and AE3 genes were expressed in both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, but CFTR was only in cholangiocytes. AE2 gene expression level was higher in the BDL hepatocytes than normal hepatocytes, which was significantly different between two groups. AE2 gene expression level was lower in the BDL cholangiocytes than normal cholangiocytes. However, AE2 gene expression level in both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes were not changed with a longer duration of BDL. These results suggest that CFTR and AE2 may play an important role in the pathogenetic mechanism of biliary cholestatic liver disease.