CT EVALUATION OF ACUTE CHOLECYSTITIS - FINDINGS AND USEFULNESS IN DIAGNOSIS

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to describe the CT findings of acute cholecystitis and apply previously proposed CT criteria for its diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively reviewed CT scan s of 29 patients with proven acute cholecystitis. Scans were reviewed for gallstones, gallbladder distension, bile density, wall thickening, pericholecystic fluid, subserosal edema, pericholecystic stranding, a nd sloughed membranes. Previously published criteria were applied to d etermine the percentage of patients that met positive criteria for acu te cholecystitis. RESULTS. The most common CT findings, in decreasing order of frequency, were wall thickening (n = 17), pericholecystic str anding (n = 15), distension (n = 12), pericholecystic cholecystic flui d (n = 9), subserosal edema (n = 9), high-attenuation bile (n = 7), an d sloughed membranes (n = 1). Of the 29 cases of acute cholecystitis, 15 met previously published CT criteria. CONCLUSION. CT can be useful in diagnosing acute cholecystitis. Common CT findings of acute cholecy stitis include wall thickening, pericholecystic stranding, distention, high-attenuation bile, pericholecystic fluid, and subserosal edema. W hen these findings are present, the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis c an be suggested. However, previously published CT criteria failed to i dentify a significant number of patients with acute cholecystitis.