Causes Of Gallbladder Wall Thickening Radiology

Thickening of the gallbladder wall is a relatively frequent finding at diagnostic imaging studies.

Causes of gallbladder wall thickening radiology.

The gallbladder wall may appear falsely thickened if fluid is trapped in the mesentery between the gallbladder and liver creating a halo effect or if fluid is otherwise surrounding the intraperitoneal gallbladder. Ten were excluded since they had other diseases which could lead to wall thickening. Going back through radiology journal articles older than the ones below 1970s 80s the same mechanisms are invoked repeatedly and other older articles are referenced. Cholecystitis acute cholecystitis chronic cholecystitis gallbladder empyema 7 xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis 11 acalculous cholecystitis11 postprandial phy.

Thickening of the gallbladder wall usually considered 3 mm is a non specific sign of various conditions. 16239c 8s gallbladder stone cholelithiasis wall thickened thick wall enhancing wall dx chronic cholecystitis bile duct cholangiocarcinoma mri with and without contrast. Cholecystitis can occur in children without gallbladder wall thickening as well. Focal gallbladder wall thickening is often an imaging diagnosis and encompasses a wide variety of differential diagnoses.

Liver enzymes were measured at the time of the examination in all patients. Pseudothickening caused by the normal postprandial state of the contracted gallbladder is also extremely common 5. The findings of ischemia in closed loop obstruction are the same as in patients with other causes of mesenteric ischemia. Other speculated mechanisms of gallbladder wall thickening in the disease states above are increased portal venous pressure and generalized edema.

Thus for all non emergent exams a fasting period of 6 12 hours. Historically a thick walled gallbladder has been regarded as proof of primary gallbladder disease and it is a well known hallmark feature of acute cholecystitis. Thirty six patients with acute hepatitis and 25 normal volunteers were examined by ultrasound to determine the thickness of the gallbladder wall. Diffuse thickening of the gallbladder wall can occur in a number of situations.

Thickening and hyperemia pre and post contrast of the wall and a single stone is shown on the mri of a patient with chronic cholecystitis. Polypoid lesions of the gallbladder form an important group of conditions that are included in the differential diagnosis of focal gallbladder wall thickening and can be divided into neoplastic and non neoplastic groups figure 57 1.