Role of ultrasound and color Doppler in diagnosis of biliary atresia

Abstract

Background: Biliary atresia is a congenital biliary condition that is defined by an absence or severe deficit of the extrahepatic biliary tree. Objective: To detect the role of color Doppler and gray scale ultrasonography as possible tools in evaluation of cases of neonatal jaundice for biliary atresia in comparison to intraoperative cholangiography as a golden test in the diagnosis of biliary atresia.
Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study that included assessment of 100 cases, over a period of two years from the outpatient clinic and the inpatient department of Pediatric Hepatology, gastroenterology and nutrition Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, diagnosed by neonatal cholestaisis.
Results: US score and total biliary atresia score were higher in biliary atresia cases (7.40± 3.69 and 21.73± 3.79, respectively) than non-biliary atresia cases diagnosed by intraoperative cholangiography.
Conclusion: We found that US serves as an important non-invasive imaging modality in diagnosis of BA. In addition to US imaging features as gall bladder abnormalities (small, rudimentary or absent gall bladder), positive TC sign and associated congenital anomalies, color Doppler play an important role in diagnosis of BA as it was found that enlargement of the hepatic artery diameter can be highly suggestive of biliary atresia.