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The role of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis of gallbladder diseases

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Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has recently played an increasing role in the diagnosis of gallbladder diseases. This review aims to summarize the role of EUS in the diagnosis of gallbladder lesions. EUS provides high-resolution images that can improve the diagnosis of gallbladder polypoid lesions and microlithiasis, in addition to evaluating gallbladder thickness and staging of gallbladder carcinoma. Contrast-enhancing agents may be useful for the differential diagnosis of gallbladder lesions, but the evidence of their effectiveness is still limited and further studies are required in this area to establish its usefulness. Endoscopic ultrasound combined with fine needle aspiration has played an increasing role in providing histological diagnosis of gallbladder tumors in addition to gallbladder thickening.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thanks Dr. Brett Ibbeson for the English proofreading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

    Tanyaporn Chantarojanasiri, Hiroki Kawashima & Hidemi Goto

  2. Department of Endoscopy, Nagoya University Hospital, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan

    Yoshiki Hirooka & Eizaburo Ohno

  3. Department of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Excellent Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Pradermchai Kongkam

Authors
  1. Tanyaporn Chantarojanasiri
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  2. Yoshiki Hirooka
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  3. Hiroki Kawashima
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  4. Eizaburo Ohno
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  5. Pradermchai Kongkam
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  6. Hidemi Goto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoshiki Hirooka.

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Chantarojanasiri, T., Hirooka, Y., Kawashima, H. et al. The role of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis of gallbladder diseases. J Med Ultrasonics 44, 63–70 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-016-0742-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-016-0742-9

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