CARCINOMA OF THE GALLBLADDER PRESENTING AN HOURGLASS DEFORMITY ON CHOLECYSTOGRAPHY : REPORT OF TWO CASES

Abstract

Between the anomalies of shape of the gallbladder an hourglass deformity is relatively often encountered on cholecystography. The cause is considered as congenital or acquired. In the latter benign lesions such as inflammation and adenomyomatosis are much more common as the genesis than malignancy. In this paper we reported two cases of gallbladder cancer showing an hourglass deformity on cholecystography. To avoid misdiagnosis in this condition, the followings are considered to be important cholecystographically: 1) to get clear opacification of the gallbladder by direct visualization method, 2) to observe the shift of the axis, extent and margin of the stenotic segment from many directions, 3) the additional use of compression method. It may improve the resectability of gallbladder cancer to put much care on such condition.