Open AccessReview of endoscopic techniques in the diagnosis and management of cholangiocarcinoma
Author(s) -
Katherine Nguyen,
James T. Sing
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.14.2995
Subject(s) - endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography , medicine , malignancy , endoscopic ultrasound , radiology , endoscopy , biliary tract , general surgery , surgery , pathology , pancreatitis
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignancy of the biliary tract. Key factors in determining therapeutic options include knowledge of tumor extent, anatomy and obtaining tissue diagnosis. Endoscopically, there are three modalities available to make the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. These include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration and cholangioscopy. Management of cholangiocarcinoma endoscopically is typically confined to stent placement for palliative purposes or as a bridge to surgery. In this article, we will review the endoscopic techniques available for the diagnosis and management of cholangiocarcinoma.