A large number of methods for cell collection in pancreatobiliary cytodiagnosis have been proposed.However, none of them may be considered ideal for cell collection. Nonsurgical decompression of a biliary obstruction by percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage using a catheter (PTBD) has become imperative in patients with obstructive jaundice when an imme diate or even a delayed surgical procedure cannot be employed. During PTBD, cells of the biliary tract were readily obtained through the PTBD tube by gentle irrigation, using normal saline solution.This approach and cytodiagnostic study have been introduced and made on 39 patients with obstructive jaundice during the last 2 years. The results by this diagnostic method have been excellent, and positive tumor cells found in 91 percent of carcinoma cases.The purpose of this paper is to present the technique of PTBD and demonstrate the diagnostic value of the procedure by presenting representative cases of benign and malignant stenoses of the biliary tract.