Ultrasound Imaging of the Biliary Tract

Patients who have gallbladder or bile duct disease may present acutely with right upper quadrant pain, nausea or vomiting, midepigastric pain, or jaundice. The etiologies of biliary disease include inflammation with or without infection, noninflammatory disorders, and benign or malignant neoplasms of the gallbladder or ducts. Ultrasound has become the primary imaging modality for the initial work-up of suspected biliary disease. This article reviews the principal diseases of the biliary tract, strategies for imaging them with ultrasound, and specific imaging patterns that aid diagnosis.