Snapshot quiz 17/14

Published: 01/18/2018

Authors: Patel M, Dosis A and Date R

This 67-year-old woman underwent CT to investigate the reason for abnormal liver function tests and an ovarian cycst, which showed an incidental finding of a porcelain gallbladder. Open cholecystectomy confirmed a shiny, brittle appearance consistent with that diagnosis. The risk of gallbladder cancer in porcelain gallbladders is 6 per cent (1), warranting prophylactic cholecystectomy. Histology here showed that the wall of the gallbladder was densely fibrotic; there was a calcification within the wall. There was a mild chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate, and no evidence of dysplasia or neoplasia.

Reference:
1. Schnelldorfer T. Porcelain gallbladder: a benign process or concern for malignancy? J Gastrointest Surg 2013; 17:1161–1168.