Morphometric examination of the hepatobiliary duct system in healthy individuals and patients with cholelithiasis: A radio-anatomic magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography study

Abstract

Purpose: Cholelithiasis is a common gallbladder disease with high morbidity and treatment cost. Although the disease has many formation factors such as bile duct obstruction, congenital anomalies, genetic and metabolic diseases, the main cause is gallstones. The aim of this study is to examine the radio-anatomic and demographic characteristics of the bile ducts of patients who have cholelithiasis due to gallstones by using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and to compare with healthy individuals. 
 Materials and Methods: The study was carried out by retrospectively scanning the MRCP images of 113 patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis and 87 healthy individuals who were referred to the hospital for various indications and had no gallbladder pathology. 
 Results: According to the Spearman rho correlation test performed by ignoring gender, a significant correlation was found between right hepatic duct diameter (RHD-D) and right hepatic duct – cystic duct angle (RHDCD-A), and between left hepatic duct diameter (LHD-D) and common bile duct diameter (CBD-D). In the correlation analysis performed only among males, a significant correlation was found between RHDCD-A and right hepatic duct – left hepatic duct angle (RLHD-A), RHDCD-A and common hepatic duct diameter (CHD-D) parameters. In the correlation analysis performed only among women, a significant relationship was found between age and RHD-D, LHD-D, CHD-D, CBD-D, between RHDCD-A and cystic duct – gallbladder angle (CDG-A), RHD-D, and between CHD-D and cystic duct diameter (CD-D). 
 Conclusion: This study will contribute to literature by revealing the morphometric characteristics and radio- anatomic information of the hepatobiliary systems of both patients with cholelithiasis and healthy individuals.