MRI manifestations of gallbladder cancer

Written by Shen Jiang Chao

Radiology

Updated on September 09, 2024

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The manifestations of gallbladder cancer on MRI primarily include significant thickening of the gallbladder wall or a mass within the gallbladder. Generally, it appears as low signal on T1-weighted images and high signal on T2-weighted images. After enhancement, the lesion shows obvious enhancement. If the lesion is large, necrosis may occur internally. Since the gallbladder is close to the liver, if abnormal signals are found in the liver, intrahepatic metastasis should be considered, which further confirms the possibility of gallbladder cancer. Additionally, gallbladder cancer can also invade the nearby bile ducts, causing dilation of the bile ducts, as well as local or distant lymph node metastasis.

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Can gallbladder cancer be detected through blood tests?

Blood tests generally cannot detect gallbladder cancer because there are no specific markers in the blood tests for gallbladder cancer. Although some tumor markers may be significantly elevated, they are not specific. Therefore, diagnosis of gallbladder cancer can be refined through abdominal CT, color ultrasound, and if necessary, puncture tissue for pathological examination to confirm the nature. Once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, surgery should be performed as soon as possible because gallbladder cancer is a highly malignant, rapidly developing, and poor prognosis malignancy. It is important to pay attention to it and handle it promptly to improve the prognosis and potentially extend the patient’s life.

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The difference between gallbladder polyps and gallbladder cancer in ultrasound examinations

For gallbladder polyps, they are a type of benign tumor, so under color ultrasound, benign protrusions can be observed, and there are no adhesions with surrounding tissues, nor is there obvious blood vessel supply. For gallbladder cancer, it is a type of malignant tumor, so at this time, adhesions with surrounding tissues can be observed under color ultrasound, and there is obvious blood vessel supply. Therefore, for patients with gallbladder polyps and gallbladder cancer, their treatment methods are completely different, and attention should be paid. If it is a gallbladder polyp, patients generally do not exhibit obvious symptoms and do not require special management. For gallbladder cancer patients, however, it severely affects their quality of life and lifespan, so attention must be paid, and early surgical removal and treatment must be undertaken to achieve a cure.

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Can people with gallbladder cancer eat dragon fruit?

Patients with gallbladder cancer can eat dragon fruit. Dragon fruit is a type of fruit that is rich in vitamins and trace elements, which can be beneficial for recovery. It can help reduce inflammatory irritation and prevent the condition from worsening. Additionally, the diet for patients with gallbladder cancer should be light, primarily consisting of fresh vegetables and fruits. However, spicy and irritating foods should be avoided to reduce inflammation. It is also appropriate to supplement the diet with protein-rich foods, such as eggs, lean meats, and fish, to replenish the proteins needed by the body, enhance the patient's resistance, and facilitate recovery from the illness.

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Can gallbladder cancer with liver metastasis be treated?

If a gallbladder cancer patient experiences liver metastasis, aggressive treatment can be applied, but it can only be symptomatic treatment and cannot achieve a cure. Gallbladder cancer is a type of malignancy with a high degree of malignancy, prone to metastasis to other parts, and with very poor treatment outcomes. If liver metastasis occurs, the condition is severe and has reached the middle to late stages. Treatment cannot involve surgical removal at this time. Instead, active management should be employed to improve quality of life and better control the disease, though it cannot be cured. When gallbladder cancer patients experience liver metastasis, symptoms may include pain in the liver area, abnormal liver function, hypoalbuminemia, ascites, and other clinical symptoms. At this time, symptomatic treatment should be actively pursued to better maintain the patient's life and improve quality of life.

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Can cholecystitis be detected by color ultrasound?

If there is gallbladder cancer, usually an ultrasonography of the liver and gallbladder or the upper abdomen can detect it. Conditions such as gallbladder cancer or liver cancer are often initially discovered and diagnosed through ultrasound. Of course, the final confirmation of diagnosis is usually achieved through pathological examination after surgery. However, in terms of initial diagnosis, it is very common to identify these conditions through ultrasound. Gallbladder cancer typically presents certain characteristic changes, such as obvious thickening of the gallbladder wall, extensive thickening including sclerosis, and significant soft tissue mass growth extending to and adhering to the liver, which are strong indicators of gallbladder cancer. Additionally, a large polyp may be seen inside the gallbladder, and surgical removal at this stage may diagnose early gallbladder cancer.