Biliary Tract: Porcelain Gallbladder

Porcelain Gallbladder

Basics

  • Calcification of Gallbladder Wall
  • Overall Cancer Incidence: 6%

Extent of Calcification & Cancer Risk

  • Complete Intramural Calcification: Less Likely to Be CA
  • Selective Mucosal Calcification: More Likely to Be CA

Diagnosis

  • Dx: CT

Treatment

  • ASx & Complete Calcification: Serial Imaging
    • *Old Dogma to Remove All Porcelain Gallbladders Due to High Risk of Malignancy Has Since Been Disproven
  • Sx or Selective Calcification: Cholecystectomy

Porcelain Gallbladder on XR 1

Porcelain Gallbladder on CT 2

References

  1. Wikimedia Commons (License: CC BY-2.0)
  2. Wikimedia Commons (License: CC BY-SA-3.0)