OBJECTIVE Because thickening of the gallbladder wall is observed not only in patients with gallbladder cancer but also in those with benign diseases such as chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder adenomyosis, it is difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant gallbladder wall thickening by conventional techniques of diagnostic imaging such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance...

AIM To describe contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features and evaluate differential diagnosis value of CEUS and conventional ultrasound for patients with benign and malignant gallbladder lesions. METHODS This study included 105 gallbladder lesions. Before surgical resection and pathological examination, conventional ultrasound and CEUS were performed to examine for lesions. Then, all the l...

OBJECTIVES The incidence of gallstone disease has increased recently in Korea and there seems to be an increased prevalence of gallstones when in association with pregnancy. Although the pathogenesis is incompletely defined, and altered motility of the gallbladder may contribute to the increased risk of gallstones during pregnancy. METHODS We measured gallbladder volume using real-time ultras...

The basic role of the gallbladder in a human is a protective. The gallbladder decreases the formation of the secondary hydrophobic toxic bile acids (deoxycholic and lithocholic acids) by accumulating the primary bile acids (cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids) in the gallbladder, thus reducing their concentration in gallbladder-independent enterohepatic circulation and protecting the liver, the m...

CONTEXT Heterotopic pancreas is a rare entity. Thirty-three cases in the gallbladder have been reported. We describe the first case of heterotopic pancreas mimicking a gallbladder cancer, identified within a calcified lesion in the thickened posterior wall of the gallbladder. CASE REPORT A 72-year-old woman with right upper quadrant pain was referred with a suspicion of gallbladder neoplasia....

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder is extremely rare because normal gallbladder mucosa does not contain neuroendocrine cells. Neuroendocrine cells can be detected at sites of intestinal metaplasia induced by chronic inflammation, which may be the initial step in the development of neuroendocrine tumor of the gallbladder. Anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary duct (AUPBD) is...

A pilot study has ascribed an important role in gallbladder motility and emptying to the perimenopausal period. To assess the effect of this period on gallbladder emptying and cholelithogenesis, 25 women in the perimenopausal period without gallbladder disease were submitted to cholangiography and two ultrasound exams. The time for gallbladder emptying and the presence of cholelithiasis were as...