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The gallbladder: uncommon gallbladder conditions and unusual presentations of the common gallbladder pathological processes

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Abstract

This article reviews a spectrum of gallbladder conditions that are either uncommon or represent unusual manifestations of common diseases. These conditions are divided into four major categories: (a) congenital anomalies and normal variants including duplication, ectopia, and lymphangioma; (b) inflammatory processes and stone-related diseases and complications including adenomyomatosis, emphysematous cholecystitis, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, gangrenous and hemorrhagic cholecystitis, perforation, gallstone ileus, and Bouveret and Mirizzi syndromes; (c) gallbladder neoplasms including adenocarcinoma with associated porcelain gallbladder, squamous cell carcinoma, lymphoma, melanoma, and neurofibroma. A thorough understanding of the imaging characteristics of each condition can help the radiologist to make a timely and accurate diagnosis, thus avoiding potentially harmful delays in patient management and decreasing morbidity and mortality rates.

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Acknowledgments

We extend special thanks to Denise Hersey, Clinical Support Librarian, for her tremendous help with this project.

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Margarita Revzin, Leslie Scoutt, Gary Israel, Edward Smitaman have no any relevant financial interests, arrangements, or affiliations with a commercial interest.

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Revzin, M.V., Scoutt, L., Smitaman, E. et al. The gallbladder: uncommon gallbladder conditions and unusual presentations of the common gallbladder pathological processes. Abdom Imaging 40, 385–399 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-014-0203-0

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