Diagnosis of Gallstones

Gallstones can be symptomatic meaning there is symptoms that will make the providers suspect a gallstones but sometimes it can be asymptomatic meaning that there is no symptoms that will suggest gallstones. In the case of asymptomatic, the person might have gallstones for years without know that they have it. Asymptomatic gallstones are risk because the stone can leave the gallbladder and go into the bile duct causing blockage and other complications. Some of the complications can lead to liver damage.

There is different ways gallstone can be diagnosed irrespective of it is symptomatic or asymptomatic. Gallstone are diagnosed using the following diagnoses.

Imaging tests used to diagnose gallbladder problems include:

Ultrasound: is a painless procedure in which a machine with a transducer that uses a high frequency wave to on the abdomen to check for any stones in the gallbladder.  The ultrasound can diagnose the type of stone, size and location of the stone. Some clinician use only ultrasound to diagnose but if for some reason the ultrasound did not show much then further diagnoses are used.

Computed tomography (CT) scan: This test is used to check for complicated gallstones like acute pancreatitis in an emergency situation. CT scan involves taking different x-ray of the abdomen to determine the site, location and organs that could be affected.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): this type of scan is carried out to see if there is gallstone in the bile duct.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): this procedure is carried out to find out more information about the gallbladder. This procedure is done with X-ray to see if there is any blockage in the liver, bile ducts, intestines and gallbladder. If blockage is detected the gallbladder is removed using endoscope.

In most cases of symptomatic gallstones the only diagnostic image done is the ultrasound. The ultrasound helps the clinician to determine what further testing or procedures is necessary based on the situation. In some cases, laboratory values like liver enzymes test can be high due to blockage in the liver and white blood cells can also be high due to inflammation of the liver and other organs. 

Work Cited

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NHS: choices your health, your choicehttp://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gallstones/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx