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bile duct dilation

a mild  bile duct dilation is consider all right or is a serious condition, will the liver grown into cancer because of the dilation? what is the common measurement of the bile duct? thanks
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Avatar universal
Well said! I am just now being dx w/ fatty liver (non alcoholic) and am following up an ultrasound from last Friday to an MRCP this Friday. I am single, no kids, and live alone. I was living in a remote mountain town and had to depend on our local physician. And I knew that I would need to travel if needed for specialists. I had lab work and procedures 3 years ago with results that should have spurred my PCP to send me to specialist. I was preparing, already packed up my apartment and secured an apartment in San Diego because of medical need, when I had a sub arachnoid brain hemorrhage/aneurysm the night before I was to leave. That was almost a year ago. I did not get to go to San Diego but did move to Denver for medical need. Had my Dr. gotten me to a specialist 3 years ago I may have averted these new issues. So yes it is very important to be your own advocate. Even if the Dr gets testy or you feel they see you as a bother or hypochondriac - hold your ground.  
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Avatar universal
I wanted to convey sympathy to you for the loss of your mother.  I am sorry to read that you lost her at such a fairly young age, although we experience loss at any age.
I have been through a number of health matters, and have learned the hard way (won't go into details) that a person has to be very involved in one's health care.  The old model of waiting to hear from doctors just doesn't happen anymore.  I don't know if it is because they see so many people now, or if all of the admin. people are overworked, or if things have become so specialized that one provider assumes another is following up-- whatever the reason, the common thread has to come from the patient nowadays, sadly.  This is asking a lot from people who are sick, in my opinion, so the next best thing is for family/somebody to be an advocate for the patient.  Not everybody has a support system like this; not all families are able to go along on appointments, devote time to phone calls, etc.  Some are at long distances from each other.  But, this has been my experience-- and, the kicker is that nobody TELLS YOU this!  
I do not know the answer to the question you ask at the end.  But, I am sorry to read of the experience your family went through.
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Avatar universal
I wanted to convey sympathy to you for the loss of your mother.  I am sorry to read that you lost her at such a fairly young age, although we experience loss at any age.
I have been through a number of health matters, and have learned the hard way (won't go into details) that a person has to be very involved in one's health care.  The old model of waiting to hear from doctors just doesn't happen anymore.  I don't know if it is because they see so many people now, or if all of the admin. people are overworked, or if things have become so specialized that one provider assumes another is following up-- whatever the reason, the common thread has to come from the patient nowadays, sadly.  This is asking a lot from people who are sick, in my opinion, so the next best thing is for family/somebody to be an advocate for the patient.  Not everybody has a support system like this; not all families are able to go along on appointments, devote time to phone calls, etc.  Some are at long distances from each other.  But, this has been my experience-- and, the kicker is that nobody TELLS YOU this!  
I do not know the answer to the question you ask at the end.  But, I am sorry to read of the experience your family went through.
Helpful - 0
1347270 tn?1276598944
In 2000, Mom who was 63 while undergoing for an unrelated cancer issue, the doctors while scanning her stoamch area, detected (saw) a "questionable ductal dilationa within the liver in a medium size hospital.  Also they saw a large left renal cyst.  In 2008, Mom went through a series of tests and found that she had a large cancerous tumor called Malignant Neoplasm of Extra Hepatic Bile Ducts.  She had the misfourtune to continue seeing her hometown medical doctors.  In 2008, she underwent radiation for 25 weeks, and then she took her chances 50/50 to go for a big operation at UCSD Medical Centers, La Jolla, CA.  The doctors were able to cut 90% of the tumor and burned the rest.

Her Oncologist in Imperical County promised her chemotherapy and anti-cancer drugs in 08-2008.  He never did anything. By 12-2009, I brought her with me in Arizona.  Unfortunately it was too late.  Mom died on 01-22-2010 at age 73.

What do you people think?  I believe if the first medical doctors in 2000 had done something, Mom would have not gotten the cancerous tumor.

Thank you!    
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Avatar universal
I just signed up to research symptoms I have. Pain under right rib cage, gallbladder surgery 1980. CT scan shows dilation of common bile duct, this is making me crazy, wondering until more diagnostics what could be causing the dilation. Did you ever get confirmed dx.
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I am going through the exact same thing. Can’t get any answers and in miserable pain causing serious anxiety.
Avatar universal
thanks for your response, I am 59, a breast cancer survivor, I had Cholecystectomy: about 25 years ago, all these years no problems of any kind until 4 years ago I was complaining pain in my stomach, (my ma died of stomach ca), my GI dr. sent me for a MRI (mrcp) found out that I had mild dilation into my liver, he then sent me to a liver specialist, who wanted me to have an ERCP,but after did research myself,I did not go for the ERCP because it can cause infection big time. the matter was then put off until October, 2007 when I was due for colonoscopy,after the procedure my doctor said he want me to have another MRI (MRCP)to see if my previous condition have improved, again the report is the same like the previous,he insist me of seeing a liver specialist in MHSK..
Before going to Sloan Kettering, I want to get more info., my doctor said he sees mild dilation going into my liver, can you or any one tell me is this serious? and where does the dilation end up going from the liver?  Please ...I need help, thanks

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Avatar universal
The size of the common bile duct varies a bit depending on where it's being measured, so you'd need to specify an area. An enlarged bile duct can be caused by a number of things including a history of stones in the bile duct that retard the flow of bile. A growth within the duct might also result in enlargement, but the growth would be seen if the bile duct is visualized with contrast.

I don't believe the usual thing to worry about is whether dilation will result in liver cancer. Instead, you might want to ask the question - what's causing the dilation. Some studies indicate that mild dilation may not be problematic at all. Some enlargement seems to be found in everyone as they age, so that may need to be taken into consideration.
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