Granulomatous cholangitis

What it means

Cholangitis characterized by the accumulation of granulomas. Granulomas are aggregates of modified macrophages (epithelioid cells) and other inflammatory cells that accumulate after chronic exposure to antigens. The underlying trigger may be exposure to noxious agents that cannot be biochemically degraded or to immune dysfunction. The ultimate result is a release of a variety cytokines that stimulate mononuclear cells that fuse to form multinucleated giant cells with a surrounding rim of lymphocytes and fibroblasts.

Granulomatous cholangitis involving the interlobular bile ducts constitutes the hallmark of primary biliary cholangitis and is also found in drug-induced liver disease and sarcoidosis.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category