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Posterior branch of right hepatic duct

The posterior branch of the right hepatic duct is one of the two main intrahepatic tributaries of the right hepatic duct. It drains bile from the posterior segments of the right lobe of the liver (segments VI and VII according to Couinaud’s classification). The posterior branch joins the anterior branch of the right hepatic duct to form the right hepatic duct, which unites with the left hepatic duct to form the common hepatic duct.

This duct is clinically significant in hepatobiliary imaging, liver resections, transplant surgery, and in evaluating obstructive jaundice, strictures, or intrahepatic stones.

Synonyms

  • Right posterior intrahepatic duct

  • Posterior segmental bile duct

  • Posterior tributary of right hepatic duct

Origin, Course, and Termination

  • Origin: Formed by union of bile radicals draining hepatic segments VI and VII

  • Course: Runs within the right lobe of the liver, coursing posteromedially toward the liver hilum

  • Termination: Joins the anterior branch of the right hepatic duct to form the right hepatic duct

Relations

  • Anteriorly: Right anterior hepatic duct branches and portal vein branches

  • Posteriorly: Hepatic parenchyma of segments VI and VII

  • Superiorly: Segment VII parenchyma and dome of the liver

  • Inferiorly: Segment VI and the lower right lobe

  • Medially: Converges toward the hilum, near the right portal vein branch

Function

  • Collects and conveys bile from the posterior right liver segments (VI and VII)

  • Contributes to the formation of the right hepatic duct and overall biliary drainage system

  • Plays a role in segmental anatomy, critical for surgical planning and transplantation

Clinical Significance

  • Anatomical variants: Posterior duct may drain anomalously (into left hepatic duct, common hepatic duct, or cystic duct), important in surgery and MRCP interpretation

  • Surgical relevance: Key structure in right hepatectomy and living donor liver transplantation

  • Obstruction: Can be affected by cholangiocarcinoma, strictures, or stones, causing segmental cholestasis

  • Trauma/Iatrogenic injury: Susceptible during hepatic resections and biliary interventions

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Normal bile: low signal intensity within posterior duct

  • Duct wall: thin, low signal intensity

T2-weighted images:

  • Bile: high signal intensity within duct lumen

  • Wall: thin, hypointense outline

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Bile: bright hyperintensity

  • Surrounding fat: suppressed (dark), increasing duct conspicuity

T1 Fat-Sat Post-Contrast:

  • Normal wall: minimal enhancement

  • Pathology (stricture, tumor, inflammation): focal or irregular enhancement of wall; lumen may remain dark

T2 Fat-Saturated HASTE (single-shot):

  • Duct lumen: bright signal

  • Useful for rapid screening of biliary dilatation or obstruction

T2 TSE Fat-Saturated 3D (MRCP sequence):

  • Posterior duct clearly visualized as a bright tubular structure converging at the hilum

  • Allows 3D reconstruction of intrahepatic ducts and detection of anatomic variants

Thick-slab T2 Fat-Saturated HASTE:

  • Duct seen as part of a projectional bright biliary tree image

  • Helpful for quick overview of biliary anatomy and detecting segmental dilatation

CT Appearance

Non-Contrast CT:

  • Normal duct not well visualized unless dilated

  • Dilated duct: low-attenuation tubular structure within right hepatic lobe parenchyma

Post-Contrast CT:

  • Normal duct wall: may enhance faintly

  • Dilated ducts: low-density tubular structures converging toward hilum

  • Pathology: enhancing mural thickening, strictures, or intraductal masses visible in cholangiocarcinoma; stones appear hyperdense if calcified

MRI image

Posterior branch of right hepatic duct mri coronal anatomy image-img-00000-00000

MRI image

Posterior branch of right hepatic duct mri coronal anatomy image-img-00000-00000_00001