Cholangiography is the imaging of the bile duct (also known as the biliary tree) by x-rays. There are at least two kinds of cholangiography:
- percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC): Examination of liver and bile ducts by x-rays. This is accomplished by the insertion of a thin needle into the liver carrying a contrast medium to help to see blockage in liver and bile ducts.
- endoscopic retrograde choledochography (ERC). Although this is a form of imaging, it is both diagnostic and therapeutic, and is often classified with surgeries rather than with imaging.
| Cholangiography | |
|---|---|
| ICD-9-CM | 87.5 |
| MeSH | D002758 |
| OPS-301 code | 3-13c |
In both cases fluorescent fluids are used to create contrasts that make the diagnosis possible. Cholangiography has largely replaced the previously used method of intravenous cholangiography (IVC).