American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 166, 1085-1088, Copyright © 1996 by American Roentgen Ray Society

ARTICLES

CT evaluation of acute cholecystitis: findings and usefulness in diagnosis

J Fidler, EK Paulson and L Layfield
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to describe the CT findings of acute cholecystitis and apply previously proposed CT criteria for its diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed CT scans of 29 patients with proven acute cholecystitis. Scans were reviewed for gallstones, gallbladder distension, bile density, wall thickening, pericholecystic fluid, subserosal edema, pericholecystic stranding, and sloughed membranes. Previously published criteria were applied to determine the percentage of patients that met positive criteria for acute cholecystitis. RESULTS: The most common CT findings, in decreasing order of frequency, were wall thickening (n = 17), pericholecystic stranding (n = 15), distension (n = 12), pericholecystic fluid (n = 9), subserosal edema (n = 9), high- attenuation bile (n = 7), and sloughed membranes (n = 1). Of the 29 cases of acute cholecystitis, 15 met previously published CT criteria. CONCLUSION: CT can be useful in diagnosing acute cholecystitis. Common CT findings of acute cholecystitis include wall thickening, pericholecystic stranding, distention, high-attenuation bile, pericholecystic fluid, and subserosal edema. When these findings are present, the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis can be suggested. However, previously published CT criteria failed to identify a significant number of patients with acute cholecystitis.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. A. Smith, J. R. Dillman, K. M. Elsayes, C. O. Menias, and R. O. Bude Cross-Sectional Imaging of Acute and Chronic Gallbladder Inflammatory Disease Am. J. Roentgenol., January 1, 2009; 192(1): 188 - 196. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Kim, J. M. Lee, J. Y. Lee, S. H. Kim, J. K. Han, B. I. Choi, and J. Y. Choi Analysis of Enhancement Pattern of Flat Gallbladder Wall Thickening on MDCT to Differentiate Gallbladder Cancer from Cholecystitis Am. J. Roentgenol., September 1, 2008; 191(3): 765 - 771. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Altun, R. C. Semelka, J. Elias Jr, L. Braga, V. Voultsinos, J. Patel, N. C. Balci, and J. T. Woosley Acute Cholecystitis: MR Findings and Differentiation from Chronic Cholecystitis Radiology, July 1, 2007; 244(1): 174 - 183. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J G Cahir, A H Freeman, and H M Courtney Multislice CT of the abdomen Br. J. Radiol., December 1, 2004; 77(suppl_1): S64 - S73. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R Zissin, A Osadchy, M Shapiro-Feinberg, and G Gayer CT of a thickened-wall gall bladder Br. J. Radiol., February 1, 2003; 76(902): 137 - 143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. L. Trowbridge, N. K. Rutkowski, and K. G. Shojania Does This Patient Have Acute Cholecystitis? JAMA, January 1, 2003; 289(1): 80 - 86. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. L. Bennett, H. Rusinek, V. Lisi, G. M. Israel, G. A. Krinsky, C. M. Slywotzky, and A. Megibow CT Findings in Acute Gangrenous Cholecystitis Am. J. Roentgenol., February 1, 2002; 178(2): 275 - 281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N Raby The role of CT in acute abdominal pain Imaging, May 1, 2001; 13(2): 112 - 123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. A. Urban and E. K. Fishman Tailored Helical CT Evaluation of Acute Abdomen : (CME available in print version and on RSNA Link) RadioGraphics, May 1, 2000; 20(3): 725 - 749. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Gore, F. H. Miller, F. S. Pereles, V. Yaghmai, and J. W. Berlin Helical CT in the Evaluation of the Acute Abdomen Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2000; 174(4): 901 - 913. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. T. Harvey and W. T. Miller Jr Acute Biliary Disease: Initial CT and Follow-up US versus Initial US and Follow-up CT Radiology, December 1, 1999; 213(3): 831 - 836. [Abstract] [Full Text]