Studies on the radiographic anatomy of the biliary tree of the caudate lobe

The cholangiograms obtained through percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) were studied for the purpose of clarifying radiographic anatomy of confluence of the bile ducts of the caudate lobe and the main trunks at the hepatic hilum. PTCS was performed on a total of 112 patients at our department, January, 1979 through December, 1984. Among them 60 cases without lesions in the hepatic hilum were used for this study. Four types of the bile duct of the caudate lobe were distinguished by cholangiography in the 60 cases: 1) A duct ran from the cranial portion of the right caudate lobe along the inferior vena cava to the hepatic hilum in 53 (Blr); 2) A duct ran from the cranial portion of the left caudate lobe to the hepatic hilum in 50 (Blls); 3) A duct ran from the left lateral part of the left caudate lobe to the hepatic hilum in 59 (Blli) and 4) A duct from the caudate process to the hepatic hilum in 42 (Blc). We found that cholangiogram following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or selective cholangiogram using the PTCS make an accurate identification of the bile duct of the caudate lobe possible.