Thickening of the gallbladder wall in ascites.
The thickening of the gallbladder wall in patients with ascites is commonly related to hypoalbuminemia and/or portal hypertension. To evaluate the pathogenetic role of these two factors, we correlated gallbladder wall thickness (GBWT) with the albuminemia and the serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG), an index of portal hypertension, in 47 patients with ascites caused by cirrhosis of the liver or abdominal malignancy. We found a thickened gallbladder wall in 30/47 patients. The correlation between GBWT and SAAG was 0.64 (n = 47 p less than 0.001). No correlation was found between GBWT and albuminemia (r = 0.04). We suggest that the sonographic finding of ascites and gallbladder wall thickening should be considered a valuable sign of transudative ascites and of portal hypertension whatever its cause.
Colli
A
A
Division of Medicine, Ospedale, C. Borella, Milan, Italy.
Cocciolo
M
M
Buccino
G
G
Parravicini
R
R
Martinez
E
E
Rinaldi
G
G
Scaltrini
G
G
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D001201:Ascites / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography
D012709:Serum Albumin