Abstract
Four cases of so-called porcelain gallbladder are reported in this paper. For each case, we analized about inorganic calcium salts of the calcified wall and contents from their infrared (IR)spectra.
Clinically, acute biliary symptoms were not common and cystic ducts of all cases were obstructed by gallstones. Calcification of whole wall was seen in only one case, and other three cases had partial calcification of wall. So-called limy bile was observed in three cases.
From the IR spectral analysis of calcified walls, calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite) was mainly detected in all cases as usual calcification of tissue, which is called dystrophic calcification, and furthermore large amount of calcium carbonate was also detected in two cases. From these findings, it is suggested that the mechanism of calcification of gallbladder may be somewhat different from that of usual tissue calcification and that limy bile may participate in its calcification in some cases.
