Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 14, 2025
05:49
Demystifying Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS): Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Published on: May 16, 2025
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Assessing Gallbladder Wall Thickening due to Systemic Venous Congestion Using the VExUS Score With Point-Of-Care
Issac Cheong1,2, Francisco Marcelo Tamagnone2
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sanatorio de Los Arcos, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Journal of Clinical Ultrasound : JCU
|July 24, 2025
Summary
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can identify gallbladder wall thickening due to systemic venous congestion, not just acute cholecystitis. This non-invasive method aids critical care decisions, as shown in a patient with myasthenia gravis.
Area of Science:
- Critical care medicine
- Diagnostic imaging
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Gallbladder wall thickening can indicate acute cholecystitis or systemic venous congestion.
- Distinguishing these causes is vital, particularly in critically ill patients.
Observation:
- A 35-year-old woman with myasthenia gravis and a mediastinal tumor developed gallbladder wall thickening post-surgery.
- Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) revealed systemic venous congestion using the Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) score.
Findings:
- POCUS successfully differentiated gallbladder wall thickening caused by venous congestion from acute cholecystitis.
- The patient's gallbladder wall thickening resolved with diuretic treatment.
Implications:
- POCUS is a valuable tool for diagnosing gallbladder wall thickening in critically ill patients.
- This case highlights the utility of the VExUS score in managing complex critical care scenarios.
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