31 Aug - Obstructive Jaundice

Evaluation of elevated LFTs discussed in a recent MR, but topic today was a slightly different scenario.  Obstructive jaundice is often the first sign of a biliary tract malignancy such as cholangiocarcinoma.  Evaluation is aimed at locating the site of the obstruction and the potential resectability of the lesion.

Remember Courvoisier sign - though in the modern era of easily accessed imaging studies and lab tests the diagnosis is often made before this sign develops.

This section from the eMedicine article on obstructive jaundice gives a nice rundown of the strengths and weaknesses of different imaging modalities for evaluating obstructive jaundice.