Dilated Bile Duct Pancreatic Cancer

A small catheter tube is passed out of the end of the endoscope and into the common bile duct.

Dilated bile duct pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancers can cause a bile duct obstruction if the tumor enters. The images can show narrowing or blockage of these ducts. A tumor at the head of the pancreas can also lead to enlargement of the. The bile ducts are tubes that transport bile from a person s liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.

Malignant cancer of the bile duct is called cholangiocarcinoma and grows slowly. Bile duct cancer refers to all cancers that develop within the biliary system. Cholangiocarcinoma is cancer that forms in the slender tubes bile ducts that carry the digestive fluid bile. The dye helps outline the bile ducts and pancreatic duct as x rays are taken.

Bile ducts connect your liver to your gallbladder and to your small intestine. It eventually spreads throughout the liver. The resulting tumors may block a bile duct. The mayo clinic explains that bile duct cancer also known as cholangiocarcinoma is cancer that forms in the slender tubes bile ducts that carry the digestive fluid known as bile.

Signs include yellow skin and eyes dark colored urine and pale colored stools. Pancreatic cancer that blocks the liver s bile duct can cause jaundice. Some people with bile duct cancer develop fevers. These are not common symptoms of bile duct cancer but they may occur in people who develop an infection cholangitis as a result of bile duct blockage.

A small amount of contrast dye is injected through the catheter. This condition also known as bile duct cancer is an uncommon form of cancer that occurs mostly in people older than age 50 though it can occur at any age. Most commonly the obstruction is caused by a gallstone but. Your doctor may recommend that a plastic or metal tube stent be placed inside the bile duct to hold it open.

Additional symptoms of ipmns include stomach pain vomiting and queasiness. A dilated bile duct or one that is enlarged typically occurs when there is an obstruction blocking the flow of bile when the bile cannot pass through a particular duct it builds up and the structure becomes distended. Ipmns are lesions that develop inside the pancreatic ducts that can progress into pancreatic cancer if left untreated.