Acute Cholecystitis: Two-Phase Spiral CT Finding

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To describe the two-phase spiral CT findings of acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTscans of nine patients with surgically-proven acute cholecystitis were retrospectively reviewed for wallthickening, enhancement pattern of the wall, attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder, gallstones,gallbladder distention, gas collection within the gallbladder, pericholecystic fluid and infiltration ofpericholecystic fat. RESULT: In all cases, wall thickening of the gallbladder was seen, though this was moredistinct on delayed images, Using high-low-high attenuation, one layer was seen in five cases, nd three layers infour. On arterial images, eight cases showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to thegall bladder;four of these showed curvilinear attenuation and four showed subsegmental attenuation. One caseshowed curvilinear decreased attenuation between increased attenuation of the liver and the gallbladder, andduring surgery, severe adhesion between the liver and gallbladder was confirmed. Additional CT findings wereinfiltration of pericholecystic fat (n=9), gallstones (n=7), gallbladder distension (n=6), pericholecystic fluid(n=3), and gas collection within the gallbladder (n=2). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute cholecystisis,two-phase spiral CT revealed wall thickening in one or three layers ; on delayed images this was more distint. Inmany cases, arterial images showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder.