Computed tomography of gallbladder carcinoma.

Twenty-seven gallbladder carcinomas were examined by computed tomography (CT). All patients had abnormal CT findings, suggesting a gallbladder lesion in 26. Based on the major CT findings, gallbladder cancer was classified as "massive," "thickened wall," or "intraluminal." Twenty cases were diagnosed correctly as cancer: on retrospect, definite findings of gallbladder cancer were observed in 24 and equivocal or misleading signs in 3. Some cases of chronic cholecystitis and liver tumor were difficult to differentiate from gallbladder cancer. Direct hepatic extension was easily seen, but lymph-node metastases and bile-duct extension were difficult to distinguish.