The gallbladder: uncommon gallbladder conditions and unusual presentations of the common gallbladder pathological processes

Abdom Imaging. 2015 Feb;40(2):385-99. doi: 10.1007/s00261-014-0203-0.

Abstract

This article reviews a spectrum of gallbladder conditions that are either uncommon or represent unusual manifestations of common diseases. These conditions are divided into four major categories: (a) congenital anomalies and normal variants including duplication, ectopia, and lymphangioma; (b) inflammatory processes and stone-related diseases and complications including adenomyomatosis, emphysematous cholecystitis, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, gangrenous and hemorrhagic cholecystitis, perforation, gallstone ileus, and Bouveret and Mirizzi syndromes; (c) gallbladder neoplasms including adenocarcinoma with associated porcelain gallbladder, squamous cell carcinoma, lymphoma, melanoma, and neurofibroma. A thorough understanding of the imaging characteristics of each condition can help the radiologist to make a timely and accurate diagnosis, thus avoiding potentially harmful delays in patient management and decreasing morbidity and mortality rates.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Gallbladder / abnormalities*
  • Gallbladder / pathology
  • Gallbladder Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color*