title: Study on cases of nonvisualized cholecystogram by the use of ERCP.
abstract: We used Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in 77 patient in whom oral cholecystography failed to visualize the gallbladder. ERCP did not visualize the gallbladder in 42%, and poorly visualized it in 58%, however, there was no significant difference in the disease distribution between non- and poorly visualized cases. 63 of the 77 patients underwent surgery. In cases postoperatively diagnosed as gallbladder carcinoma, the prognosis was better in poorly than in non-visualized gallbladder cases. Non- or poor visualization by ERCP in operated cases was due to gallstones in 71%, to common duct stones with intrahepatic calculi in 22%, and to malignant tumors in 17.5%. Our findings suggest that non-visualization of the gallbladder by ERCP should alert the diagnostician to the possibility of malignancy, especially in patients over 50 years of age.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D002765:Cholecystography; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies