A Clinicopathological Study of Adenoma and Stage I Carcinoma of the Gallbladder

Abstract

A clinicopathological study of adenoma and stage I carcinoma of the gallbladder, including a study of imaging diagnosis by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT), was performed to emphasize the characteristics of stage I carcinoma of the gallbladder. Differention of the US pattern between adenoma and stage I carcinoma of the gallbladder was difficult. The size of stage I carcinoma ranged from 6 mm to 50 mm. There were no death from recurrence of the protruded type of stage I carcinoma. The outcome of the protruded type of stage I carcinoma including tumors 30-50 mm in maximum diameter was better than that of the non-protruded type. The nonprotruded type which was composed of tubular adenocarcinoma, it was difficult to make a preoperative diagnosis of carcinoma of the gallbladder. The difficulity could lead to a poor prognosis of the non-protruded type of stage I carcinoma.