Findings of cholangitis in a kidney transplant patient with Caroli disease on FDG PET/CT and MRI

Mustafa Natout; Madiha M Hijazi; Mutaz Kassas; Samir Mallat; Mohamad Haidar

doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2023.02.002

Findings of cholangitis in a kidney transplant patient with Caroli disease on FDG PET/CT and MRI

Radiol Case Rep. 2023 Feb 27;18(5):1700-1704. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2023.02.002. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Mustafa Natout¹, Madiha M Hijazi¹, Mutaz Kassas¹, Samir Mallat², Mohamad Haidar¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diagnostic Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 11-0236, Riad ElSolh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon.
² Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107, Lebanon.

Abstract

Caroli disease is a rare congenital disorder of segmental cystic dilatations of the intrahepatic biliary ducts that maintain communication with the rest of the biliary tree. Its typical clinical presentation is recurrent episodes of cholangitis. The diagnosis is usually made using abdominal imaging modalities. We present a patient with Caroli disease showing atypical presentation of acute cholangitis with ambiguous labs and initial negative imaging findings, which was later diagnosed by [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and tissue pathology. The use of such imaging modalities in moments of doubt or clinical suspicion provide the patient with accurate diagnosis, proper management, and better clinical outcome, thus obviating the need for further invasive investigations.

Keywords: Caroli disease; Cholangitis; FDG PET/CT; Immunosuppression; MRI; Organ transplant.

Publication types

Case Reports