Calcified gallstone in a 3 year-old boy: a case report
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Gall Bladder Dissection in Nine-Day-Old Mouse Neonates
Published on: August 23, 2022
Erik R Barthel1, James R Pierce, Osnat Zmora
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd Mailstop 100, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
Insights
Gallstones in children are rare, especially calcified ones visible on X-rays. This case highlights a 3-year-old boy with a calcified gallstone, treated successfully with surgery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are uncommon in pediatric populations.
- Hemolysis syndromes increase risk, often presenting with postprandial abdominal pain.
- While ultrasonography is standard, radiopaque gallstones can be seen on plain abdominal radiography.
Background:
Gallstones are relatively rare in children. At-risk populations include patients suffering from hemolysis syndromes. Regardless of etiology, these patients usually will present with postprandial abdominal pain, and ultrasonography is the mainstay of diagnosis. However, some gallstones are radiopaque and can be visualized on plain abdominal radiography.
Case Presentation:
We present the uncommon but classic plain x-ray finding of a calcified gallstone in a 3 year-old Hispanic boy. He was treated with elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Conclusions:
Cholelithiasis is rare in children, and calcified stones that will appear on plain abdominal x-rays are even rarer. If symptomatic, cholecystectomy by a pediatric surgeon is the treatment of choice. We discuss some of the recent developments in treatment of this condition in this patient population.
Related Concept Videos
Cholecystitis
Urinary Tract Calculi III: Medical Management
Urinary Tract Calculi II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
Esophageal Strictures-II: Clinical Features and Management
Healthcare providers should gather a comprehensive medical history and conduct a physical examination for diagnosis. If esophageal stricture is...
Urinary Tract Calculi IV: Nutrition Therapy and Prevention
Gallbladder
The gallbladder's anatomy consists of three regions: the fundus, body, and neck. Extending from the neck, the cystic duct joins the common...