Cytologic diagnosis of gallbladder lesions - A study of 150 cases

Gallbladder (GB) carcinoma is among the five most common forms of gastrointestinal cancers and the diagnosis is usually made when the carcinoma is already in an advanced stage. The aim of this study was to assess the application of ultrasound (US) guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) in diagnosing GB carcinoma.

The present study was carried out on 150 patients suspected to have GB carcinoma on ultrasonography. US-guided FNA from GB was done in these patients and FNA of the other organs was simultaneously done in 20 patients. Histopathology of the GB was available in 14 cases.

Ultrasonography in these patients revealed mass/thickening of the wall of GB in 140 (93.3%) cases and nonspecific US findings in 10 (6.7%). Out of the 140 cases malignancy was cytologically diagnosed in 105 (75%) cases while 12 (8.5%) cases were inflammatory and 23 (16.5%) were inconclusive. Adenocarcinoma was the most common morphologic type. Metastatic tumor deposits were noted in FNA from space occupying lesions of the liver in 12 cases, abdominal lymph nodes in 5 cases, and 1 case each of supraclavicular lymph node, stomach and bilateral ovaries. Of the 10 cases with non-specific US findings, 3 had carcinoma and 7 were inconclusive on cytologic examination.

US guided FNA provides a rapid and reliable diagnosis in cases of GB carcinoma.