Abstract
Conventional ultrasound (US) is the most important and fundamental
imaging method for gallbladder diseases.
Biliary disorders are still very common nowadays, especially the ones affecting the
gallbladder. Either benign (in most cases), or malignant, their diagnosis still relies on
the abdominal ultrasound. Gallstones and their complications represent a major public
health issue in Europe and other developed countries, and affect > 20% of the
population.
According to GLOBOCAN 2020 data, gallbladder cancer is the 23rd most incident, but
the 20th most deadly cancer worldwide, which could be explained by the late discovery
of gallbladder cancer. Worldwide, gallbladder cancers represented 0.6% of the total
cancer cases in 2020, with a mortality of 0.85% among all cancers.
US becomes more appropriate than computed tomography (CT) and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of gallbladder diseases, having the
advantages of safety (without radiation), real-time imaging, considerable cost
effectiveness and high spatial resolution.
Regardless of the previously mentioned advantages, the accuracy and sensitivity of US
are not satisfactory, particularly when gallstones or other gallbladder lesions occupy
the entire gallbladder lumen. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is considered to
increase the diagnostic precision of US.Keywords: CEUS, Elastography, Gallbladder, Tumors, Ultrasound.