Abstract
Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is usually seen as a complication of major surgery or trauma. Although this entity is well-known in the surgical literature, little has been written about it in the radiologic literature. A review of patient records from 1975 through 1982 revealed 16 patients with pathologically confirmed AAC on whom at least 1 sonographic study had been performed. Thickening of the gallbladder wall, a subserosal “halo” of edema, pericholecystic abscess, and marked gallbladder distention were consistent findings in AAC. In the proper clinical setting, these otherwise nonspecific findings allow a prompt and accurate diagnosis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alaweh I: Acute noncalculous cholecystitis in burns.Br J Surg 65:243–245, 1978
Chen PS, Aliapolis MA: Acute acalculous cholecystitis-ultrasonic appearance.Arch Surg 113:1461–1462, 1978
Glenn F, Becker CB: Acute acalculous cholecystitis: an increasing entity.Ann Surg 195:131–136, 1982
Long TN, Heimbach DM, Carrico CJ: Acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.Am J Surg 136:31–36, 1978
Munster AM, Goodwin MN, Ruitt BA Jr: Acalculous cholecystitis in burned patients.Am J Surg 122:591–593, 1971
Rice J, Williams HC, Flint LM, Richardson JD: Post-traumatic acalculous cholecystitis.South Med J 73:14–17, 1980
Andersson A, Bergdahl L, Boquist L: Acalculous cholecystitis.Am J Surg 122:3–7, 1971
Eide J, Norbye B, Hartweit F: Fetal hemorrhage following atraumatic liver rupture secondary to postoperative perforation of the gallbladder.Acta Chir Scand 141:316–318, 1975
Glenn F, Redo SF: Mitral stenosis and biliary tract disease.Am Surg 151:139–145, 1960
Blatt JM, Floman Y: Post-traumatic acute acalculous cholecystitis.Int Surg 57:982–983, 1972
Du Priest RW, Khaneja SC, Cowley RA: Acute cholecystitis complicating trauma.Ann Surg 189:84–89, 1979
Golden GT, Sears HF II, Wangensteen SL: Post-traumatic cholecystitis.Am Surg 39:275–278, 1973
Howard RJ, Delaney JP: Postoperative cholecystitis.Am J Dig Dis 17:213–218, 1972
Howard RJ, Delaney JP: Post-traumatic cholecystitis.JAMA 218:1006–1007, 1971
Howard RJ: Acute acalculous cholecystitis.Am J Surg 141:194–198, 1981
Kitchen PRB: Post-traumatic cholecystitis without gallstones.Med J Aust 2:595–596, 1973
Lindberg EF, Grinnan GLB, Smith L: Acalculous cholecystitis in Viet Nam casualties.Ann Surg 171:152–157, 1970
Mandelbaum I, Palmer RM: Post-traumatic acalculous cholecystitis.Arch Surg 97:601–604, 1968
Myers RAM, Lorentz TG: Acute noncalculous cholecystitis following trauma.S Afr J Surg 14:55–58, 1976
Peterson SR, Sheldon GF: Acute acalculous cholecystitis: a complication of hyperalimentation.Am J Surg 138:814–817, 1979
Shaw RC: Post-traumatic acute acalculous cholecystitis in young males.Milit Med 135:210–214, 1970
Shields MA: Acute acalculous cholecystitis: an important complication of trauma.J R Coll Surg Edinburgh 18:83–86, 1973
Vilinskas J: Acute cholecystitis associated with surgery and trauma.J Am Med Wom Assoc 27:422–423, 1972
Weeder RS, Beshant GH, Muir RW: Acute noncalculous cholecystitis associated with severe injury.Am J Surg 119:729–732, 1970
Winegarner FC, Jackson GF: Post-traumatic acalculous cholecystitis: a highly lethal complication.J Trauma 11:567–569, 1971
Campbell CW, Eckman MR: Acute acalculous cholecystitis caused bySalmonella Indiana.JAMA 233:815, 1975
Miller DD: Postoperative acalculous cholecystitis due to torulopsis glabrata.Arch Surg 111:1404–1405, 1976
Glenn F: Acute cholecystitis following the surgical treatment of unrelated disease.Ann Surg 126:411–420, 1947
Glenn F, Wantz GE: Acute cholecystitis following the surgical treatment of unrelated disease.Surg Gynecol Obstet 102:145–153, 1956
Robertson RD: Noncalculous acute cholecystitis following surgery, trauma, and illness.Am Surg 36:610–614, 1970
Herlin P, Jonsson P, Karp W: Postoperative acute acalculous cholecystitis — an assessment of diagnostic procedures.Gastrointest Radiol 5:147–150, 1980
Thompson JW, Ferris DO, Baggenstoss AH: Acute cholecystitis complicating operation for other diseases.Ann Surg 155:489–494, 1962
Kalff V, Froelich JW, Lloyd R, Thrall JH: Predictive value of an abnormal hepatobiliary scan in patients with severe intercurrent illness.Radiology 146:191–194, 1983
Fiske CE, Laing FC, Brown TW: Ultrasonographic evidence of gallbladder wall thickening in association with hypoalbuminemia.Radiology 135:713–716, 1980
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beckman, I., Dash, N., Sefczek, R.J. et al. Ultrasonographic findings in acute acalculous cholecystitis. Gastrointest Radiol 10, 387–389 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01893137
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01893137