Diagnostic accuracy of multidetector-row computed tomography for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

The role of subspecialized radiologist reviews in preoperative conference for hepato-pancreato-biliary disease

PURPOSE

To identify the role of subspecialized radiologists in preoperative conferences of radiologists and surgeons in the management of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) diseases.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the prospective data of 247 patients (mean age, 63.8 years; 173 men) who were referred for preoperative conferences (n = 258; 11 were discussed twice) for HPB disease between September 2021 and April 2022. Before each preoperative conference, subspecialized radiologists reviewed all available imaging studies and treatment plan information. After each conference, any change to the treatment plan was documented (major, minor, or none). Additional information provided by the radiologists was collected (significant, supplementary, or none). Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to determine factors that resulted in a major change to the treatment plan.

RESULTS

Of the 258 reviewed cases, a major change was made to the treatment plan in 26 cases (10.1 %) and a minor change in 41 (15.9 %). Significant information was provided in 27 cases (10.5 %) and supplementary information in 72 (27.9 %). In the multivariable analysis, additional information about local tumor extent (odds ratio [OR], 6.3; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 2.1-19.5; p = 0.001) and distant metastasis detection (OR, 33.2; 95 % CI, 5.1-216.6; p < 0.001) was significantly associated with a major change.

CONCLUSION

The involvement of subspecialized radiologists in preoperative conferences resulted in major treatment plan changes in 10.1 % of the cases, primarily associated with the added information about local tumor extent and distant metastasis.

Screening for hilar biliary invasion in ampullary cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The treatment for ampullary cancer is pancreatoduodenectomy or local ampullectomy. However, effective methods for the preoperative investigation of hilar biliary invasion in ampullary cancer patients have not yet been identified.

AIM

To determine the necessity of and an appropriate method for investigating hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer.

METHODS

Among 43 ampullary cancer patients, 34 underwent endoscopic treatment (n = 9) or surgery (n = 25). The use of imaging findings (thickening and enhancement of the bile duct wall on contrast-enhanced computed tomography, irregularity on endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, thickening of the entire bile duct wall on intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS), and partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS) and biliary biopsy results for diagnosing hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer was compared.

RESULTS

Hilar invasion was not observed in every patient. Among the patients who did not undergo biliary stent insertion, the combination of partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS and biliary biopsy results showed the highest accuracy (100%) for diagnosing hilar biliary invasion. However, each imaging method and biliary biopsy yielded some false-positive results.

CONCLUSION

Although some false-positive results were obtained with each method, the combination of partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS and biliary biopsy results was useful for diagnosing hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer. However, hilar invasion of ampullary cancer is rare; therefore, the investigation of hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer might be unnecessary.

Multidetector CT of Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer: Diagnostic Performance of Tumor Resectability and Interreader Agreement

Background In extrahepatic bile duct (EHD) cancer, accurate assessment of resectability is essential for curative surgery, but pertinent guidelines from the perspectives of radiologists are yet to be developed. Purpose To investigate the performance of multiphasic CT in the assessment of longitudinal tumor extent, vascular invasion, and resectability of EHD cancer according to the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology consensus recommendation and to evaluate the interreader agreement. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included patients with EHD cancer who underwent multiphasic CT examinations with section thickness of 3 mm or less before surgery from January 2016 to December 2018. Four abdominal radiologists independently evaluated the overall and biliary segment-wise longitudinal tumor extent, the presence of hepatic artery and/or portal vein invasion, and the resectability according to the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology recommendations. The diagnostic performance was assessed with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Interreader agreement was determined using κ statistics. Results A total of 112 patients (mean age ± SD, 61 years ± 11; 73 men) were evaluated. The accuracy of the overall longitudinal tumor extent assessment ranged from 56.3% (63 of 112 patients) to 74.1% (83 of 112 patients). The sensitivity for detecting secondary confluence involvement (n = 62) was lower than that for the primary confluence or intrapancreatic duct (n = 115; 38.5%-75% vs 72.1%-96.3%, respectively). Vascular invasion (n = 17) had moderate sensitivity (28.6%-71.4%) and high specificity (77.5%-99.0%). For predicting negative-margin (R0) resection (n = 85), the sensitivity and specificity ranged from 71.8% to 96.5% and from 11.1% to 66.7%, respectively, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranged from 0.69 to 0.80. Interreader agreements for tumor extent, vascular invasion, and resectability had κ values of 0.65-0.89, 0.21-0.64, and 0.35-0.56, respectively. Conclusion For the preoperative evaluation of extrahepatic bile duct cancer, the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology consensus recommendation enabled systematic assessment of longitudinal tumor extent and vascular invasion with acceptable performance in predicting negative-margin resection with use of multiphasic CT and with fair to good interreader agreement. © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Utility of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for T-staging of patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer

BACKGROUND

The value of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) for T-staging in patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer was evaluated.

METHODS

This single-center, retrospective study included consecutive patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer who underwent surgical resection after preoperative EUS, CH-EUS, and contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) examinations between June 2014 and August 2017. The capacity of these modalities for T-staging of extrahepatic bile duct cancer was evaluated by assessing invasion beyond the biliary wall into the surrounding tissue, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, duodenum, portal vein system (portal vein and/or superior mesenteric vein), inferior vena cava, and hepatic arteries (proper hepatic artery, right. and/or left. hepatic artery). Blind reading of EUS, CH-EUS, and CE-CT images was performed by two expert reviewers each.

RESULTS

38 patients were eligible for analysis, of which eight had perihilar bile duct cancer and 30 had distal bile duct cancer. Postoperative T-staging was T1 in 6, T2 in 16, and T3 in 16 cases. CH-EUS was superior to CE-CT for diagnosing invasion beyond the biliary wall into surrounding tissue (92.1% vs. 45.9%, P = 0.0002); the ability to detect invasion to other organs did not differ significantly between the two modalities. The accuracy of CH-EUS for T-staging of tumors was better than that of CE-CT (73.7% vs. 39.5%, P = 0.0059). CH-EUS tended to have a better accuracy than EUS for the diagnosis of invasion beyond the biliary wall into the surrounding tissue (92.1% vs. 78.9%, P = 0.074) and T-staging (73.7% vs. 60.5%, P = 0.074).

CONCLUSION

CH-EUS is useful for T-staging of extra hepatic bile duct cancer, especially in terms of invasion beyond the biliary wall into the surrounding tissue.

Diagnostic value of peroral cholangioscopy in addition to computed tomography for indeterminate biliary strictures

BACKGROUND

Peroral cholangioscopy (POCS) has been used to overcome the difficulty in diagnosing indeterminate biliary stricture or tumor spread. However, the value of adding POCS to computed tomography (CT) remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic value of adding POCS to CT for indeterminate biliary stricture and tumor spread by interpretation of images focusing on the high diagnostic accuracy of visual findings in POCS.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified 52 patients with biliary stricture who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) at our institution between January 2013 and December 2018. Two teams, each composed of an expert endoscopist and surgeon, performed the interpretation independently, referring to the CT findings of the radiologist. The CT + ERC + POCS images (POCS group) were evaluated 4 weeks after the evaluation of CT + ERC images (CT group). A 5-point scale (1: definitely benign to 5: definitely malignant) was used to determine the confident diagnosis rate, which was defined as an evaluation value of 1 or 5. Tumor spread was also evaluated.

RESULTS

In the evaluation of 45 malignant diagnoses, the score was significantly closer to 5 in the POCS group than in the CT group in both teams (P < 0.001). The confident diagnosis rate was significantly higher for the POCS group (92% and 73%) than for the CT group (25% and 12%) in teams 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.001). We found no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy for tumor spread between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Visual POCS findings confirmed the diagnosis of biliary strictures. POCS was useful in cases of indefinite diagnosis of biliary strictures by CT.

Diagnosis by 64-Row Multidetector Computed Tomography for Longitudinal Superficial Extension of Distal Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to demonstrate the diagnostic ability of 64-row multidetector computed tomography (64-row MDCT) for longitudinal superficial extension of distal cholangiocarcinoma (LSEDC).

METHODS

Twenty-seven patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma (DC) underwent preoperative 64-row MDCT without drainage tubes. LSEDC was diagnosed using curved planar reconstruction images reconstructed from 64-row MDCT, which were compared with pathologic findings.

RESULTS

LSEDC was observed in 13 patients (48%). Ten patients (37%) had enhancing nonthickened bile ducts extending continuously from the main tumor (type 1). These coincided with pathologic findings of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in 90.0% of cases; that is, a positive predictive value (9/10). Fourteen patients (52%) had only wall thickening of the main tumor with or without enhancement (type 2). Four patients with HGD in this group were difficult to diagnose. Three patients (11%) had enhancing nonthickened bile ducts not in continuity with the main tumor (type 3). This finding revealed an inflammatory change instead of a carcinoma in the pathologic findings. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting HGD were 75% and 93% on the liver side, 33% and 100% on the duodenal side, respectively. Four patients (67%) with HGD on the liver side were overdiagnosed, and one patient (17%) was underdiagnosed. Most of the patients overdiagnosed on the liver side (3/4 or 75%) had drainage tubes inserted before the MDCT.

CONCLUSIONS

For DC patients without drainage tubes, the 64-row MDCT technique may be useful for diagnosing HGD depicted as LSEDC on the liver side but not as useful on the duodenal side.

The Impact of MDCT and Endoscopic Transpapillary Mapping Biopsy to Predict Longitudinal Spread of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUNDS

We aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT), mapping biopsy, and other imaging modalities to predict the longitudinal extension and depth of invasion of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at possible surgical ductal margins.

METHODS

Of 102 patients with surgical resection of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma between January 2010 and October 2015, 32 evaluated by multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) performed before biliary drainage and mapping biopsy were enrolled. Mapping biopsies were performed at 74 sites to determine the resection point of the bile duct (at 74 possible surgical ductal margins). Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by histopathology.

RESULTS

The diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for longitudinal cancer spread was 79.7%, that of biopsy was 73.0%, and combining the two modalities showed highest accuracy (83.8%). The depth of tumor invasion could be predicted by combination of the ductal wall thickness and contrast enhancement on MDCT, that is, at 11 of 13 sites (84.6%) with submucosal invasion, ductal wall thickness was > 2.5 mm with high contrast enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

MDCT demonstrated highest accuracy of diagnosing longitudinal extension at possible surgical ductal margins in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The depth of tumor invasion could be predicted by ductal wall thickness and contrast enhancement of MDCT.

Diagnosis and Management of Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas (CC) are rare tumors which usually present late and are often difficult to diagnose and treat. CCs are categorized as intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of intrahepatic CCs may be increasing worldwide. In this chapter, we review the risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

The development of an automatically produced cholangiography procedure using the reconstruction of portal-phase multidetector-row computed tomography images: preliminary experience

PURPOSE

Fusion angiography using reconstructed multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) images, and cholangiography using reconstructed images from MDCT with a cholangiographic agent include an anatomical gap due to the different periods of MDCT scanning. To conquer such gaps, we attempted to develop a cholangiography procedure that automatically reconstructs a cholangiogram from portal-phase MDCT images.

METHODS

The automatically produced cholangiography procedure utilized an original software program that was developed by the Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University. This program structured 5 candidate biliary tracts, and automatically selected one as the candidate for cholangiography. The clinical value of the automatically produced cholangiography procedure was estimated based on a comparison with manually produced cholangiography.

RESULTS

Automatically produced cholangiograms were reconstructed for 20 patients who underwent MDCT scanning before biliary drainage for distal biliary obstruction. The procedure showed the ability to extract the 5 main biliary branches and the 21 subsegmental biliary branches in 55 and 25 % of the cases, respectively. The extent of aberrant connections and aberrant extractions outside the biliary tract was acceptable. Among all of the cholangiograms, 5 were clinically applied with no correction, 8 were applied with modest improvements, and 3 produced a correct cholangiography before automatic selection.

CONCLUSIONS

Although our procedure requires further improvement based on the analysis of additional patient data, it may represent an alternative to direct cholangiography in the future.

Perioperative Management of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma is the most common primary tumor of the biliary tract although it accounts for only 2 % of all human malignancies. We herein review hilar cholangiocarcinoma including its risk factors, the main classification systems for tumors, current surgical management of the disease, and the role chemotherapy and liver transplantation may play in selected patients.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane library for the period 1980-2015 using the following MeSH terms: "hilar cholangiocarcinoma", "biliary cancer", and "cholangiocarcinoma". Only recent studies that were published in English and in peer reviewed journals were included.

FINDINGS

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is a disease of advanced age with an unclear etiology, most frequently found in Southeast Asia and relatively rare in Western countries. The best chance of long-term survival and potential cure is surgical resection with negative surgical margins, but many patients are unresectable due to locally advanced or metastatic disease at diagnosis. As a result of recent efforts, new methods of management have been identified for these patients, including preoperative portal vein embolism and biliary drainage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with subsequent transplantation, and chemoradiation therapy.

CONCLUSION

Current management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma depends on extent of the tumor at presentation and includes surgical resection, liver transplantation, portal vein embolization, and chemoradiation therapy. Our understanding of hilar cholangiocarcinoma has improved in recent years and further research offers hope to improve the outcome in patients with these rare tumors.

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma: Cross sectional evaluation of disease spectrum

Although hilar cholangiocarcinoma is relatively rare, it can be diagnosed on imaging by identifying its typical pattern. In most cases, the tumor appears to be centered on the right or left hepatic duct with involvement of the ipsilateral portal vein, atrophy of hepatic lobe on that side, and invasion of adjacent liver parenchyma. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) are commonly used imaging modalities to assess the longitudinal and horizontal spread of tumor.

Hypertrophy of the Left Liver in Patients with Large Tumors in the Right Liver

BACKGROUND

It has been speculated that, when right-sided major hepatectomy (RSMH) is planned for patients with large tumors in the right liver, it may not lead to a marked decrease in normally functional hepatic mass.

METHODS

We collected data for patients who had undergone RSMH for tumors more than 8 cm in diameter (n=50) and compared them with control patients who had undergone RSMH for tumors less than 5 cm in diameter (n=21).

RESULTS

The ratio of the remnant left liver volume to the nontumorous liver volume (left liver ratio) in the patients with large tumors was significantly greater than that in the control group (50.0±12.8% vs. 40.2±8.3%, p=0.002). Left liver ratio was significantly correlated with tumor volume (p<0.001). Preoperative portal vein embolization was performed in only four of the 50 patients with large tumors. None of the patients with large tumors developed postoperative liver failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Left liver volume in patients with large tumors in the right liver was larger than usual, perhaps reducing the risk of postoperative liver insufficiency after RSMH.

Optimal indications for additional resection of the invasive cancer-positive proximal bile duct margin in cases of advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The survival benefits of additional resection of the positive proximal ductal margin in cases of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma remain to be elucidated. The purpose of this retrospective study was to clarify the optimal indications for additional resection of the invasive cancer-positive proximal ductal margin (PM) METHODS: All patients who underwent hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma between 2000 and 2011 were analyzed. Surgical variables, the status of the PM, prognostic factors, and survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 224 patients were enrolled. Additional resection was performed in 52 of 75 positive PMs of invasive cancer, resulting in 43 negative PMs. The survival of patients with a negative PM treated with additional resection (n = 43) was significantly worse than that of the patients with a negative PM treated without additional resection (n = 149; P = 0.031) and did not significantly differ from that of the patients with a positive PM (n = 32; P = 0.215). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level (<64 or ≥64), combined vascular resection, pN, pM, the histological grade, perineural invasion, liver invasion, and R status were independent prognostic factors. Only in the subgroups of CA19-9 < 64 and pM0, the survival of the patients with a negative PM treated with additional resection was significantly better than that of the patients with a positive PM (P = 0.019 and P = 0.021, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Additional resection of the invasive cancer-positive PMs may be warranted only in limited patients with a lower level of CA19-9 and no distant metastatic disease.

Surgical strategy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma of the left-side predominance: current role of left trisectionectomy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate recent surgical strategy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) of the left-side predominance.

BACKGROUND

When employing left hemihepatectomy (LH) for HC, vasculobiliary anatomy of the right liver often makes it difficult to achieve a tumor-free margin of the right posterior sectional bile duct (RPSBD). Because left trisectionectomy (LTS) can produce a longer resection margin for the RPSBD, we have expanded the indications for LTS over the last 5 years.

METHODS

Sixty-one consecutive patients underwent left-sided hepatectomy for HC, divided into 2 groups according to the operative periods: period 1 (2001-2007; n = 29) and period 2 (2008-2012; n = 32). Clinicopathological outcomes of the groups were compared. The difference in the length of the resectable RPSBD between LH and LTS was radiologically investigated using multidetector-row computed tomography.

RESULTS

The proportion of LTS increased from 10.3% (3/29) in period 1 to 46.9% (15/32) in period 2. R0 resection rates were also improved in period 2. The most common margin positive site in period 1 was the stump of the proximal bile duct; high rates of positive RPSBD stump were noted after LH. The positive proximal ductal margin ratio decreased significantly in period 2. The difference in the length of resectable RPSBD between LH and LTS was 9.0 ± 1.3 mm. There was no mortality in period 2, even after LTS.

CONCLUSIONS

LTS for HC of the left-side predominance improved R0 resection rates without affecting postoperative mortality. LTS should be aggressively performed in patients with appropriate hepatic function, even if tumors are possibly resectable by LH.

Left hepatic trisectionectomy for advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Data on outcomes of left hepatic trisectionectomy (LT) for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma are limited. The aim of this study was to clarify short- and long-term outcomes of LT for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

Patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent LT between January 2000 and October 2011 were analysed. Surgical variables, mortality, morbidity (Clavien grade I-V), recurrence sites and survival were compared between subjects who underwent LT, right hemihepatectomy or left hemihepatectomy.

RESULTS

A total 214 patients underwent resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, 25 (11·7 per cent) of whom underwent LT, 88 (41·1 per cent) right hemihepatectomy and 94 (43·9 per cent) left hepatectomy. There were no deaths among those who had LT, but 20 patients developed complications. The incidence of grade IIIa complications was significantly higher among patients who underwent LT than in patients who had right or left hemihepatectomy (P = 0·001 and P < 0·001 respectively). Only one patient developed a grade IIIb or IV complication (liver failure) after LT. The overall 5-year survival rate after LT was 39 per cent and median survival was 45 months. There were no significant differences in survival between patients who underwent LT and those who had a right or left hemihepatectomy.

CONCLUSION

LT may provide a good outcome for advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Radiological staging in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To obtain diagnostic performance values of CT, MRI, ultrasound and 18-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/CT for staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

A comprehensive systematic search was performed for articles published up to March 2011 that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed with the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies tool.

RESULTS

16 articles (448 patients) were included that evaluated CT (n=11), MRI (n=3), ultrasound (n=3), or PET/CT (n=1). Overall, their quality was moderate. The accuracy estimates for evaluation of CT for ductal extent of the tumour was 86%. The sensitivity and specificity estimates of CT were 89% and 92% for evaluation of portal vein involvement, 83% and 93% for hepatic artery involvement, and 61% and 88% for lymph node involvement, respectively. Data were too limited for adequate comparisons of the different techniques.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic accuracy studies of CT, MRI, ultrasound or PET/CT for staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma are sparse and have moderate methodological quality. Data primarily concern CT, which has an acceptable accuracy for assessment of ductal extent, portal vein and hepatic artery involvement, but low sensitivity for nodal status.

Surgical strategy for bile duct cancer: Advances and current limitations

The aim of this review is to describe recent advances and topics in the surgical management of bile duct cancer. Radical resection with a microscopically negative margin (R0) is the only way to cure cholangiocarcinoma and is associated with marked survival advantages compared to margin-positive resections. Complete resection of the tumor is the surgeon’s ultimate aim, and several advances in the surgical treatment for bile duct cancer have been made within the last two decades. Multidetector row computed tomography has emerged as an indispensable diagnostic modality for the precise preoperative evaluation of bile duct cancer, in terms of both longitudinal and vertical tumor invasion. Many meticulous operative procedures have been established, especially extended hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, to achieve a negative resection margin, which is the only prognostic factor under the control of the surgeon. A complete caudate lobectomy and resection of the inferior part of Couinaud’s segment IV coupled with right or left hemihepatectomy has become the standard surgical procedure for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy is the first choice for distal bile duct cancer. Limited resection for middle bile duct cancer is indicated for only strictly selected cases. Preoperative treatments including biliary drainage and portal vein embolization are also indicated for only selected patients, especially jaundiced patients anticipating major hepatectomy. Liver transplantation seems ideal for complete resection of bile duct cancer, but the high recurrence rate and decreased patient survival after liver transplant preclude it from being considered standard treatment. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have a potentially crucial role in prolonging survival and controlling local recurrence, but no definite regimen has been established to date. Further evidence is needed to fully define the role of liver transplantation and adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy.