Ultrasonography of the gallbladder in acute pancreatitis

The sonographic appearance of the gallbladder in 52 patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) was evaluated and compared with the findings in acute cholecystitis (AC) and in normal gallbladder (N). The mean gallbladder wall thickness in the AP group, 3.2 mm, was significantly different from the thickness in the N group, 2.3 mm (p less than 0.001), and from that in the AC group, 5.2 mm (p less than 0.001). Wall edema, distension, tenderness (sonographic Murphy sign) and pericholecystic fluid collections were occasional findings in AP, and were not seen in normal gallbladders. A significant difference between the AP and AC groups was found in the prevalence of maximal local tenderness of the gallbladder (in only 2/52 in AP, but in 28/31 in AC).