What it means
Many parts of the body are tubes or hollow spaces, such as bile ducts, blood vessels, the bowel and the kidney's drainage system. Dilated means one of them is wider than expected. Often something further along is slowing the flow, such as a stone or a narrowing. Sometimes the cause is age, past surgery or a weakened wall. Dilatation and ectasia describe the same thing.
When it matters
Mild widening can be harmless. A bile duct is often slightly wider after gallbladder removal, and the kidney's drainage system can look fuller when the bladder is very full. Doctors look more closely when the widening is new, marked or painful, because it can point to a blockage. The radiologist follows the tube to look for a cause. Blood tests, a repeat scan or a more detailed test may follow.
Questions to ask your doctor
- What exactly is dilated, and by how much compared with normal?
- Is something blocking the flow, or is the widening harmless?
- Do I need blood tests or another scan to find the cause?
