Endoscopic ultrasound versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiography for patients with intermediate probability of bile duct stones: a randomized trial comparing two management strategies.

Background And Study Aims: Diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) is being replaced by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in patients with suspected bile duct stones. The assumption that such an approach is advantageous, however, has never been tested in a randomized trial.

Patients And Methods: 100 patients with intermediate probability of bile duct stones were randomly allocated to EUS or ERC.

Association of primary sclerosing cholangitis, ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease in female siblings.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a rare, cholestatic liver disease, most commonly affecting young men. The association of primary sclerosing cholangitis with other autoimmune disorders, although rare, indicates a genetic predisposition for this disease. We describe, for the first time, the association of primary sclerosing cholangitis, ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease in two sisters.

Helical computed tomographic cholangiography versus endosonography for suspected bile duct stones: a prospective blinded study in non-jaundiced patients.

Background: Helical computed tomography performed after intravenous administration of a cholangiographic contrast material (HCT-cholangiography) may be useful for detecting bile duct stones in non-jaundiced patients. However, this method has never been compared with other non-invasive biliary imaging tests.

Aims: To compare prospectively HCT-cholangiography and endosonography (EUS) in a group of non-jaundiced patients with suspected bile duct stones.