Congenital Cystic Lesions of the Bile Ducts: Imaging-Based Diagnosis

Curr Probl Diagn Radiol. 2020 Jul-Aug;49(4):285-293. doi: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2019.04.005. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Abstract

Congenital cystic lesions of the bile ducts represent a spectrum of liver and biliary system lesions, resulting from abnormal embryologic development of the ductal plate. These disorders include Caroli disease, choledochal cysts, autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease, congenital hepatic fibrosis, and biliary hamartomas. Each disorder carries a peculiar clinical presentation, prognosis, and risk of complications. Knowledge of radiological findings of fibropolycystic liver diseases is crucial for their appropriate detection and for differential diagnosis with other similar hepatic cystic lesions, in order to avoid relevant misdiagnosis. The aim of this review is to provide an illustrative summary of the most relevant imaging findings of these conditions as encountered on ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, and provide pearls for imaging-based differential diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Caroli Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Cysts / congenital
  • Cysts / diagnostic imaging
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Digestive System Diseases / congenital*
  • Digestive System Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Genetic Diseases, Inborn / diagnostic imaging
  • Hamartoma / congenital
  • Hamartoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Diseases / congenital
  • Liver Diseases / diagnostic imaging

Supplementary concepts

  • Hepatic Fibrosis, Congenital
  • Polycystic liver disease