Authors
Zeinab El Mawla, Abdallah Haj Hassan, Hassan Salameh
Published in
Radiology case reports. Volume 21. Issue 11. Pages 5335-5340. Epub Aug 13, 2026.
Abstract
Caroli disease is a rare congenital disorder characterized by segmental, nonobstructive dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Its association with cholesterol cholelithiasis is infrequently reported and presents a diagnostic challenge, particularly when clinical findings and conventional imaging are inconclusive. We report the case of a 45-year-old woman, nonsmoker, with no prior medical or surgical history, who presented with 2 episodes of severe abdominal pain. Initial workup, including abdominal ultrasonography and liver function tests (LFTs), was unremarkable on first presentation, yet LFTs were elevated on both admissions. Repeat ultrasonography remained negative. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) excluded choledocholithiasis but identified a dilated left intrahepatic biliary duct. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) subsequently confirmed cholesterol gallstones in association with a Caroli cyst. The patient underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged 2 days later in good clinical condition. This case underscores the diagnostic complexity of Caroli cysts coexisting with cholesterol cholelithiasis and highlights the critical role of advanced hepatobiliary imaging, particularly MRCP and EUS, when standard investigations fail to explain recurrent biliary symptoms. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for congenital biliary anomalies in patients with unexplained recurrent abdominal pain and elevated LFTs.
PMID:
42633157
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Aug 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 2
- Comments 0