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FETAL GALLSTONES AND
TUMEFACTIVE SLUDGE |
Cholelithiasis, although uncommon in the first
year of life, is a well established disorder.
To date just over 30 cases have been described in utero (1-4).
ULTRASOUND |
- Echogenic mass or tumefactive sludge in the gallbladder.
- Shadowing if calcium is present within the mass.
- Non shadowing if it is predominantly formed from cholesterol.
- Cholesterol crystals may cause a comet tail artifact (3).
- May move with fetal movement and gravity.
- No ascites or hydrops.
- Exclude any cause of biliary tract obstruction (such as a choledochal cyst).
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Echogenic masses (calcified gallstones) in the
gallbladder. |
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Non shadowing cholesterol stones |
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Tumefactive
sludge in the gallbladder |
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Cholesterol containing gallstones |
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PROGNOSIS |
- Most cholesterol containing stones pass spontaneously in the neonate without any complications (3).
REFERENCES |
- Beretsky I, Lankin DH. Diagnosis of fetal cholelithiasis using real-time high-resolution imaging employing digital detection. Ultrasound Med 1983;2:381-383.
- Klingensmith WC, Cioffi-Ragan DT. Fetal gallstones. Radiology 1988;167:143-144.
- Suchet IB, Labatte MF, Dyck CS et.al. Fetal cholelithiasis: a case report and review of the literature. J Clin Ultrasound 1993;21:198-202.
- Brown DL, Teele RL, Doubilet PM et.al. Echogenic material in the fetal gallbladder: sonographic and clinical observations. Radiology 1992;182:73-76.