Negative gallbladder stones: Diagnostic advantages of dual-energy CT and analysis of a unique case

Gallbladder stones are a common digestive system disease, but their diagnosis can be limited in some cases, especially in identifying "negative" stones, which may be difficult to recognize with traditional CT scans.

This study aims to explore the advantages of dual-energy CT in diagnosing negative gallbladder stones through a unique case of gallbladder stones.

A case of a 31-year-old female is described, who was diagnosed with gallbladder stones during a physical examination two years ago and occasionally experienced pain in the upper right abdomen. Dual-energy CT scanning revealed a mixed-density stone, approximately 2 cm in diameter, in the neck of the gallbladder, consisting of a calcified shell (positive stone) and a homogenous density nucleus (negative stone). Verified by dual-energy CT, single-energy images and spectral curves can very intuitively identify negative stones, demonstrating significantly superior performance compared to traditional CT.

Dual-energy CT, through single-energy images and spectral curves, intuitively identifies negative gallbladder stones, showcasing significant advantages compared to traditional CT, and offers a valuable approach to enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of gallbladder stones.