Vascular evaluation using transabdominal ultrasound for gallbladder polyps

Abstract

Ultrasound (US) is a cost-effective and noninvasive procedure without radiation exposure, with real-time evaluation and high spatial resolution. Although it is useful for the detection of gallbladder (GB) polyps, including gallbladder cancer, adenoma, and benign polyps, conventional US is insufficient for differential diagnosis because it is not capable of evaluating hemodynamic information, unlike computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. With recent technological advances in US equipment and contrast agents, Doppler imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) are being used to characterize GB polyps, and several reports on evaluation of the vascularity of GB polyp have been published. In this review, we aimed to report the latest developments in the hemodynamic diagnosis of GB polyps based on previous reports, with an emphasis on CEUS, and to evaluate the efficacy for differential diagnosis. The information in this article is expected to enable early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment for gallbladder cancer.