Clinical application of MSCT virtual endoscopy in biliary pancreatic junction

Objective To determine the clinical value of the multi-slice spiral CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE) for the detection of biliary pancreatic junction lesions. Method MSCT and virtual endoscopic reconstruction were performed in 30 healthy volunteers, 18 cases of common bile duct stones and 7 cases of ampullary carcinoma to observe patterns of duodenal papilla and measure its size.Results Reconstructed image of CTVE showed that the normal duodenal papilla was nodular in 16,shaped like V in 8 Y-shaped in 6 of the healthy volunteers. Its diameter was (0.84±0.17)cm. In the patients with common bile duct stones, it was nodular and its diameter (1.72±0.32)cm. In the patients with ampullary cancer, it was of irregular protruded type and its diameter (2.30±0.85)cm.There was significant difference among the 3 groups in the overall mean values (P＜0.01). Conclusion CTVE is a convenient, non-invasive and precise clinical examination to observe the shape of duodenal papilla and determine its size. Key words: Tomography; X-ray computed; Endoscopy; Ampulla of Vater