title: Gallstones and biliary disease.
abstract: Gallstones are common in the US and western countries. This article describes the pathogenesis of gallstone formation and the clinical manifestations and current approaches to diagnosis and treatment of the most common clinical conditions caused by gallstones: biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and acute gallstone pancreatitis. The role of widely used imaging techniques (transabdominal ultrasound, CT scan, MR imaging, and MRCP) and diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy (endoscopic ultrasound, ERCP) is emphasized. This article is intended mainly for general practitioners, primary care physicians, and other specialists providing medical care to patients with gallstones and their complications.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kalloo
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kantsevoy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed