Abstract. Grey-scale ultrason.ography is a relatively new diagnostic modality which can be employed to evaluate the cholecystographically nonvisualized gallbladder and the jaundiced patient. The procedure is simple to perform and causes no discomfort to the patient. Ultrasonography can detect gallstones and differentiate obstructive (surgical) from hepatocellular (medical) jaundice. Frequently, it is also instrumental in diagnosing the cause o f biliary obstruction in the patient with obstructive jaundice. Eleven illustrative cases are presented in which ultrasonography played a key role in establishing the correct diagnosis.Key words: Biliary tract, obstruction -Gallbladder, calculi -Gallbladder, ultrasound.
AnatomyThe normal gallbladder is usually closely applied to the inferior surface of the right lobe o f the liver.Ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool in evaluating the gallbladder which is inadequately visualized by oral cholecystography [1 5]. This noninvasive procedure is simple to perform and causes no discomfort to the p~/tient. Ultrasonography of the cholecystographically not visualized gallbladder is possible, because this diagnostic modality depends only on the morphology and acoustic characteristics of the gallbladder and is independent of hepatic and biliary functions. The bile-filled gallbladder can readily be demonstrated by ultrasound in most patients. A 92-98% visualization rate has been reported in normal fasting individuals [2,[5][6][7][8]. We would like to demonstrate the efficacy of this technique by presenting a number of illustrative cases in which gallbladder ultrasonography played a key role in establishing the correct diagnosis.
Ultrasound is gaining widespread application in the area of diagnostic urology. We wish to describe its use in the intraoperative localization of a caliceal diverticulum and stone when more conventional techniques would not have been adequate.
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