Spectral and morphological classification of different chronic and acute Taiwanese gallstones via FTIR, SEM and ESEM-EDX microanalyses

Gallstone disease is one of the leading upper gastrointestinal surgical problems in different countries.

To analyze the chronic gallstones and acute gallbladder sludge retrieved from 36 Taiwanese patients.

FTIR microspectroscopy was used to classify the types of gallstones, and an ESEM-EDX microanalysis was first applied to determine the microstructural features and elemental compositions of the various gallstones. Bacteria presented on the surface of gallstones were also detected by SEM.

Four types of gallstones were obtained from these 36 Taiwanese patients: calcium bilirubinate (CaBR) stones (30.6%), cholesterol stones (19.4%), mixed stones including 6 subtypes (47.2%), and acute gallbladder sludge (2.8%) made of CaBR and protein/insoluble biomaterials. Bacteria imprints and bacterial discharges or bacterial biofilms were also found on the surface of gallstones and acute sludge under a SEM observation. ESEM-EDX results revealed that calcium was found to be the main constituent of all of the types of stones except cholesterol stones, and aluminum was also presented in most of the stones and sludge samples. Chloride was only detected in the acute gallbladder sludge.

FTIR spectra, morphological features, and elemental compositions of the acute gallbladder sludge were different from those of the chronic gallstones.