Liver & intrahepatic bile ducts
Benign / nonneoplastic
Biliary cyst
Author: Deepali Jain, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 February 2012
Minor changes: 1 August 2020
Revised: 24 January 2019, last major update February 2012
Copyright: (c) 2002-2017, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Biliary cyst[TI]
Cite this page: Jain D. Biliary cyst. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/livertumorbiliarycyst.html. Accessed August 7th, 2020.
Definition / general
- Unilocular; single or multiple; when multiple usually a component of adult polycystic kidney disease
- Usually age 40+ years; prevalence increases with age
- No malignant potential
- Subcapsular, not connected to biliary tree
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Lined by cuboidal or biliary type epithelium; rarely squamous lined
- Thin fibrous wall with pigment laden macrophages; adjacent von Meyenberg complexes are present
