Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma is a devastating disease. From its challenging diagnosis to complicated disease progression to rapid fatality, this malignancy presents patients with clinical courses that are at best described as difficult and at worst deemed insurmountable. While traditional diagnosis and management approaches have relied heavily on open surgical operations, endoscopic procedures, and systemic chemotherapy medications, the tremendous growth of minimally invasive medical procedures has opened new doorways in the clinical care of cholangiocarcinoma patients. In particular, Interventional Radiologists (IRs)-or physicians who specialize in state of the art, minimally invasive, image guided therapies in the treatment of various medical disorders-play a prominent role in the contemporary multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. Interventional radiologists employ a variety of cutting edge techniques with diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative indications aimed at establishing diagnoses, relieving symptoms, controlling local tumor growth, and improving quality of life to help ease the burden of this harsh disease. This chapter will focus on the role of IR in the management of malignant biliary disease, including percutaneous biopsy, biliary drainage, and minimally invasive therapeutic options for cholangiocarcinoma.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Cholangiocarcinoma |
| Subtitle of host publication | Diagnosis and Treatment |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 175-208 |
| Number of pages | 34 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781629480343 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781634824460 |
| State | Published - Apr 1 2015 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine