Ultrasound of the gall bladder: experience in a district hospital

In a retrospective survey performed to assess the reliability of ultrasound of the gall bladder in a district hospital the radiologists performing the examinations had little or no previous experience in non-obstetric ultrasound. In 142 patients who had the presence or absence of gall stones proved by surgery gall stones had been correctly predicted in 84% of patients with stones and absent in 64% of those without. This compares favourably with earlier reports from North America, and shows that ultrasound of the gall bladder is useful, even when staff experience is limited.