Endosonography in the diagnostics of choledocholithiasis

Abstract

Although choledocholithiasis is a common illness, it can lead to serious complications. The diagnostics of biliary tract lithiasis have seen major progress in the last decade and the approach to patients with such suspected affection has changed entirely. This article summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of current diagnostic methods (EUS and MRCP) and presents a proposal of procedural recommendations. Results that are presented in this article are in accordance with the conclusions of a retrospective study carried out between 2008 and 2010 at the Central Military Hospital in Prague. The analysis of a set of 109 endosonographic examinations, indicated in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis, shows sensitivity for EUS in choledocholithiasis to be 87.9%, specificity 94.7%, positive predictive value 87.9% and negative predictive value 94.7%.