Acute cholecystitis: do sonographic findings and WBC count predict gangrenous changes?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to determine, first, if gallbladder wall striations in patients with sonographic findings suspicious for acute cholecystitis are associated with gangrenous changes and certain histologic features; and, second, if WBC count or other sonographic findings are associated with gangrenous cholecystitis.


METHODS
Sixty-eight patients who underwent cholecystectomies within 48 hours of sonography comprised the study group. Sonograms and reports were reviewed for wall thickness, striations, Murphy sign, pericholecystic fluid, wall irregularity, intraluminal membranes, and luminal short-axis diameter. Medical records were reviewed for WBC count and pathology reports for the diagnosis. Histologic specimens were reviewed for pathologic changes. Statistical analyses tested for associations between nongangrenous and gangrenous cholecystitis and sonographic findings and for associations between wall striations and histologic features.


RESULTS
Ten patients had gangrenous cholecystitis and 57, nongangrenous cholecystitis. One had cholesterolosis. Thirty patients had wall striations: 60% had gangrenous and 42% nongangrenous cholecystitis. There was no association with the pathology diagnosis (p = 0.32). There was no association between any histologic feature and wall striations (p ≥ 0.19). A Murphy sign was reported in 70% of patients with gangrenous cholecystitis and in 82% with nongangrenous cholecystitis; there was no association with the pathology diagnosis (p = 0.39). Wall thickness and WBC count were greater in patients with gangrenous cholecystitis than in those with nongangrenous cholecystitis (p ≤ 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Gallbladder wall thickening and increased WBC counts were associated with gangrenous cholecystitis; however, there was considerable overlap between the two groups. Wall striations and a negative Murphy sign were not associated with gangrenous cholecystitis.
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 510 S Kingshighway Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. teefeys@mir.wustl.edu
Sharlene A
SA
Teefey
Nirvikar
N
Dahiya
William D
WD
Middleton
Sanjeev
S
Bajaj
Neha
N
Dahiya
Lourdes
L
Ylagan
Charles F
CF
Hildebolt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005734:Gangrene / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography