This EUS study confirms that the CBD dilates significantly after the age of 70 years, but even in the most elderly patients, with an intact gallbladder, the normal CBD does not exceed 7.6 mm, thus a wider CBD warrants further investigation. The single additional factor contributing to dilatation of the CBD was cholecystectomy. A linear regression equation is proposed for the prediction of CBD diameter.

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18 control subjects and 18 patients, with a variety of gastrointestinal conditions were investigated using a 10-μCi ¹⁴C-D-xylose breath test. The latter also underwent quantitative bacterial studies of fluid obtained by intestinal intubation. In 14 patients a smaller dose of 3 μCi ¹⁴C-D-xylose was compared to the standard dose and there was a good correlation between the two doses. The peak value of the ¹⁴C-D-xylose test provided the best discrimination between patients with and without bacterial overgrowth. The ¹⁴C-glycocholic acid test performed in 15 patients, although as sensitive, was less discriminating. The ¹⁴C-D-xylose breath test is reliable and more specific in confirming the diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth without having to resort to direct bacterial studies.