title: Migration of Gelfoam to the gallbladder after liver biopsy.
abstract: Liver biopsy is a common procedure, with an inherent risk of bleeding. There are different ways to help avoid hemorrhage, including biopsy through a transjugular venous route or embolization of the tract with liquid or solid materials. We describe an image-guided percutaneous core needle liver biopsy with tract embolization using thick Gelfoam slurry in a pediatric oncology patient. Imaging studies acquired after the biopsy indicated that the Gelfoam mixture had likely migrated to the gallbladder and common bile duct. We report this rare occurrence with its striking imaging in order to make those performing biopsies aware of this possibility.
authors.affiliation: Image Guided Therapy, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto School of Medicine, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Canada, M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riddle
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Bairbre L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000473:pathology*; D005781:Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography