The contribution of real-time ultrasonography and infusion cholecystography in the diagnosis of acute colecystitis

Hippokratia 2001, 5(1):23-25

V Papanicolaou, D Koutarelos, I Aidonidis, G Mitis, J Vardoulis


Abstract

The aim of this comparative study was to evaluate the reliability of infusion cholecystography (IC) and ultrasonography (US) in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Sixty-three patients with possible clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis were investigated and the preoperative interpretations were correlated to operative findings in 38 of them. The diagnosis by IC was correct in 36 patients (sensitivity 95%) whereas the US sensitivity was 82% (31/38). The specificity of each one method was 100%. These findings suggest that IC can make a significant contribution in reducing the incidence of misdiagnosis in acute cholecystitis and this is of special importance when early surgery is to be the standard treatment.