title: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the gallblader.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are rare benign tumors that can mimic malignancy. Their precise aetiology is unknown. They are seen more frequently in childhood and the most common involvement is seen in the lungs. Primary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the gallbladder are rather infrequent. The present knowledge is based on case reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 66 year-old male patient presented to the hospital with complaints of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Upon physical examination, a clinical picture of abdominal tenderness on the right upper quadrant of the abdomen was identified. Laboratory examinations revealed leukocytosis and hypochromic microcytic anaemia with an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-reactive protein levels. A mass almost completely filling the gallbladder was detected by imaging studies. The patient was operated on with a malignant preoperative diagnosis and underwent a liver resection of segments 4 and 5, which included a cholecystectomy. The histopathological examination of the surgical specimen revealed an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor including many histiocytes stained positively with CD 68.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors can be localised in the gallbladder mimicking gallbladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, İzmir University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozsan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Afyon Kocatepe University Faculty of Medicine, Afyon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozsoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, İzmir University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, İzmir University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ragıp
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ortaç
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, İzmir University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aydın
keywords: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor; gallbladder; gallbladder tumor