More than just stones: a pictorial review of common and less common gallbladder pathologies

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Gastroenterology
• Pathology

Background:

• Gallstone disease is the most common gallbladder pathology.
• Other significant gallbladder diseases include adenomyomatosis, cholesterolosis, polyps, porcelain gallbladder, acalculous cholecystitis, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, emphysematous cholecystitis, gallbladder cancer, and hemorrhage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review diverse gallbladder pathologies encountered in radiological practice.
• To describe the characteristic imaging features of these pathologies using standard modalities.

Main Methods:

• Review of radiological imaging findings for various gallbladder diseases.
• Correlation of imaging features with histopathological diagnoses where applicable.

Main Results:

• Detailed descriptions of imaging appearances for adenomyomatosis, cholesterolosis, polyps, porcelain gallbladder, acalculous cholecystitis, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, emphysematous cholecystitis, gallbladder cancer, and hemorrhage.
• Emphasis on differentiating features for each pathology.

Conclusions:

• Radiological imaging is crucial for diagnosing a wide spectrum of gallbladder pathologies beyond gallstones.
• Familiarity with the imaging characteristics of these diverse conditions is essential for effective clinical management.