title: Does Courvoisier's sign stand the test of time?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the validity of Courvoisier's sign, in the age of cross-sectional imaging and image analysis software by objectively measuring gallbladder volumes at magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in patients with and without biliary obstruction and to assess whether gallbladder volume is more significantly increased in patients with gallstone-related rather than non-gallstone-related biliary obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  All MCRP investigations that were performed at a tertiary hepatobiliary centre over a 2-year period were analysed. The information recorded included the presence or absence of gallbladder stones as well as the presence and type of common bile duct (CBD) disease. Gallbladder volume was calculated from MRCP studies using image analysis software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and ninety-four of 645 examined MRCPs (61.1%) were eligible for analysis. A statistically significant difference in mean gallbladder volume existed between the summated obstructive and non-obstructive groups (p < 0.001). In addition, a significant difference existed in mean gallbladder volume between those with CBD stones and non-gallstone CBD obstruction (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant difference was observed in gallbladder volumes in the group with biliary obstruction from choledocholithiasis compared with the group with biliary obstruction from other causes. Thus, objective measurement of gallbladder volume from modern cross-sectional imaging studies appears to validate Courvoisier's sign as a valuable clinical sign, which could be applied to modern imaging studies in distinguishing different causes of biliary obstruction in the jaundiced patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cork University Hospital and University College, Cork, Ireland. kevin.murphy4@hse.ie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Súilleabháin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maceneaney
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002765:Cholecystography / Q000379:methods; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D042882:Gallstones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D055815:Young Adult