Biliary Atresia

Diagnostic Ancillary Procedures

Diagnostic Ancillary Procedures

• Biliary scintigraphy using Technetium-99m iminodiacitate (DISIDA)

• Ultrasound• Percutaneous liver biopsy• Cholangiogram

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy

• Demonstrates bile duct patency using radionucleotide (DISIDA)

• A new diagnostic approach to biliary atresia with emphasis on the ultrasonographic triangular cord sign

Ultrasound

• Not defintive for biliary atresia• May be performed to assess for other causes

of biliary tract obstruction

Percutaneous Liver Biopsy

• Differentiates biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis

• Ductular proliferation, bile duct and ductular bile plugs, and portal fibrosis are the best indicators of biliary atresia upon biopsy.

Cholangiogram

• Used t surgery• Demonstrates the anatomy of the biliary tree• Determines whether extrahepatic bile duct

atresia is present• Evalutes whether there is distal bile flow to

the duodenum• May demonstrate hypoplasia of the

extrahepatic biliary system