Role of high-frequency linear probe in ultrasound diagnosis of biliary atresia

Abstract

Cause of cholestatic jaundice in early infancy continues to be a diagnostic dilemma, with biliary atresia being the most common cause. Increasing age is a negative prognostic factor for biliary atresia. Hence, early diagnosis of the same has immense prognostic significance. Ultrasound (US) plays a major role in the evaluation of infants with cholestatic jaundice and in the differentiation of biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis, which are the two major causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in neonates and infants. Our study concerns a 2-month-old male infant with signs and symptoms of jaundice, as correlated with liver biochemistry. US revealed features of biliary atresia that later got confirmed on biopsy. The present study summarizes the manifestations of biliary atresia on US, emphasizing the importance of a high-frequency transducer and the clinical diagnostic value of US for biliary atresia, in order to provide evidence for its early diagnosis.

Keywords

• Biliary atresia
• cholestatic jaundice
• high-frequency transducer
• triangular cord sign
• ultrasound