
Ultrasonographical evaluation of Asymptomatic Gall Bladder Diseases – An epidemiological study in North India
328-330
Correspondence
Sanjay Saran Baijal, Professor, Dept of Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay
Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rae Bareily
Road, Lucknow – 226 014 U.P, India.
E Mail: drsuyash@gmail.com, ssbaijal@sgpgi.ac.in
Phone: +91 522 2668700 Extn: 2574 (O); 2568(R)
Fax No: +91 522 2668717
To detect the prevalence of asymptomatic gall bladder (GB) diseases by using ultrasonography (USG) as the primary screening modality. Ultrasonography is the most appropriate tool which can be used for the diagnosis of gall bladder disease. Despite the availability of sophisticated imaging modalities, especially computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), USG still remains the initial and powerful screening modality of choice for evaluating the GB pathology.
Over a period of two and a half years (July 2004 to Jan 2007), 640 subjects (105 healthy volunteers and 535 randomly selected patients with unrelated medical problems) were examined by using real time, grey scale, B mode USG with a 3.5 MHz convex transducer (Sonoline G60S system, Siemens Medical Solutions, WA, USA). To ensure adequate GB distension, the examination was performed after an overnight fast of 8 – 12 hours.
Among the 105 healthy volunteers, the prevalence of the silentGB disease was 15.24%, while among the 535 patients presenting with unrelated symptoms, the prevalence was 10.84 %. However, the overall prevalence was 11.56%. Asymptomatic GB disease is more common in females, in the fourth and fifth decades of life, the mean age being 42.0 ± 12.64%. Cholelithiasis (4.22%), followed by chronic cholecystitis with cholelithiasis (3.12%), were the commonest abnormalities which were detected. The accuracy of USG in delineating asymptomatic GB disease at our center was found to be 94.12%, as revealed by consistent USG and histopathological findings.
Cholecystosonography is a potentially valuable tool which is
used for the diagnosis of GB disease. A strong case is made to
recommend the USG screening of females between the ages of
41 – 50 years who were otherwise normal.