liver and gallbladder disorders
Narrowing of the Bile Ducts Due to AIDS
Diagnosis
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or ultrasonography Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography may be done to confirm the diagnosis because it enables doctors to take a sample of infected tissue for examination under a microscope. Then doctors can identify the organism causing the infection. During ERCP, doctors can also widen (dilate) the narrowed bile ducts and thus relieve symptoms. For ERCP, a flexible viewing tube (endoscope) with surgical attachments is passed through the mouth, down the esophagus, through the stomach, and into the small intestine (see figure). A thin catheter is passed through the endoscope, through the ring-shaped muscle between the common bile and pancreatic ducts and small intestine (sphincter of Oddi), and up into the common bile duct. A radiopaque contrast agent, which is visible on x-rays, is then injected through the catheter into the bile ducts, and x-rays are taken to detect any abnormalities. Alternatively, ultrasonography may be done to help confirm the diagnosis. It is less invasive and very accurate. Blood tests to determine how well the liver is functioning and whether it is inflamed ( Liver Blood Tests ) are usually also done. The results can support the diagnosis. 