Reducing Invasive Evaluations in Patients with Incidental Common Bile Duct Dilation

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for incidental common bile duct (CBD) dilation revealed that only 8.3% of cases had significant findings. Researchers identified predictors including age ≥70, non-biliary-type abdominal pain, CBD diameter ≥15 mm, and prior ERCP. A novel clinical prediction model was created, scoring age, pain type, prior ERCP, and CBD dilation. A score <1 predicted <2% chance of significant findings, potentially reducing low-yield EUS in nearly a third of cases.