Comparative analysis of modern methods for diagnosing microcholedocholithiasis

Introduction. To date, there are many methods for diagnosing choledocholithiasis, but the problem of identifying small stones of the common bile duct remains relevant.

Materials and methods. The work is based on the results of a survey of 65 patients with suspected microcholedocholithiasis, who are being treated at the GKB named after. S.P. Botkin in the period 2020–2022. To analyze the results, all patients were divided into two groups. The first group included 38 (70 %) patients with cholelithiasis, in patients according to the biochemical blood test and transabdominal ultrasound, there were signs of hepaticocholedochus expansion, but the presence of calculi is doubtful. The second group included 16 (30 %) patients with clinical manifestations of cholelithiasis, but there was no pathology according to the results of a biochemical blood test and transabdominal ultrasound.

Results. In the first group of patients, according to MRCP data, in 8 (21 %) cases, filling defects with a diameter of 3–4 mm were found, and in 30 (79 %) cases, calculi were not suspected.

In the second group of patients in 3 out of 18 (17 %) patients, according to the results of MRCP, filling defects with a diameter of up to 4 mm were detected, in 8 (44 %), according to the results of EUS, calculi were detected in the lumen of the choledochus, and in the remaining 7 (9 %) patients, calculi were not identified by either MRCP or EUS.

Conclusion. In most cases, EUS plays an important key role in the diagnosis of microcholedocholithiasis in patients with cholelithiasis, which improves the results of treatment in this category of patients.

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