Abstract
Klatskin’s tumor is a form of malignant neoplasm affecting the area of bifurcation of the hepatic ducts. The frequency of this disease is less than 1:100,000. Klatskin’s tumor is characterized by slow growth, but it is characterized by aggressive invasive behavior, which leads to the involvement of surrounding tissues and blood vessels in the disease process and is diagnosed at late stages. The clinical symptoms of Klatskin’s tumor are nonspecific and manifest themselves in the late stages of the disease with obstructive jaundice syndrome due to obstruction of the bile ducts. Diagnosis of Klatskin’s tumor consists in detecting an increase in bilirubin in the blood due to direct and indirect fractions, in the urine there are large amounts of bile pigments and the absence of urobilin, feces turns gray with the absence of stercobilin in it. The determination of tumor markers – AFP, CEA and CA 19-9 – plays an important prognostic role. Ultrasound of the abdominal organs is the initial method for detecting dilation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, the absence of visualization of the ductal system below the stricture, as well as the presence of a collapsed gallbladder. MRI with cholangiography and MRI with intravenous contrast make it possible to visualize the biliary tract in more detail and identify the exact location of the tumor. CT of the abdominal organs with intravenous fixation more accurately determines the degree of invasion of cholangiocarcinoma into the main vessels. The “gold standard” in the diagnosis of tumors of the proximal bile ducts is percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, which is used mainly to determine the proximal level of damage and obstruction of the bile ducts, and culminates in percutaneous transhepatic cholangiostomy, which allows for preventive decompression of the biliary tract before possible radical surgery. Histological confirmation of Klatskin’s tumor is desirable, but not necessary before radical surgery.
Keywords: Klatskin’s tumor, cholangiocarcinoma, clinical case, diagnosis, medical visualization.
For citation:Lukmanova A.M., Sakhautdinova G.M. Diagnosis of Klatskin’s tumor in the practice of a therapist and gastroenterologist. Clinical review for general practice. 2026; 7 (7): 30–33 (In Russ.). DOI: 10.47407/kr2026.7.7.00881
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