[Sonography of acute cholecystitis. A report on 58 cases with a correlation of pathomorphological and histological findings].

Sonography has become the method of choice for evaluating acute diseases of the right upper quadrant. Prior to the ultrasound the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was based on clinical and laboratory data. The pathohistomorphology of 58 opertively and histologically proven cases of acute cholecystitis has been correlated with preoperative sonography. An acute cholecystitis can be diagnosed based on the following sonographic criteria: Thickening of the wall of the gallbladder to more than 4 mm, sonolucent areas in or around the wall of the gallbladder, an increased ap. diameter of more than 4 cm as well as gallstones. A hyperechoic content of the gallbladder correlating to an empyema of the gallbladder was found in 31% and a perforation in 27.6% of the cases.