Contents
Ultrasound of the gallbladder with the definition of its function is aimed at a detailed assessment of the state of the organ, as well as its main parameters in order to identify possible pathology.
The method is based on the use of ultrasonic waves that are safe for the human body. Due to the harmlessness of the impulses sent, the analysis can be administered to women during pregnancy and young children, unlike MRI and CT.
When a functional procedure is required
Often with functional ultrasound diagnosis of the gallbladder, a study of other internal organs in the abdominal cavity, in particular the liver, is carried out in order to exclude serious and extensive inflammatory processes.
The examination must be performed on an empty stomach, which allows you to control the processes that occur inside the body.
The method is non-invasive and all manipulations do not cause pain during the procedure. The procedure provides information about the state of the abdominal organs, the severity of the lesion and the spread of the inflammatory process to neighboring organs and tissues.
The principle of ultrasound is based on the difference in acoustic resistance of various body media. Reaching the border separating tissues, the beam of ultrasonic waves partially continues to move, and is partially reflected, the reflected signal is recorded by the receiving element and forms the basis of the ultrasound image. The absence of side effects in ultrasound is officially confirmed by the World Health Organization, the report of which says “recognized as a safe, effective and highly flexible, fast and cost-effective method of obtaining images that provide clinically relevant information about most parts of the body.”
The procedure for functional diagnostics is prescribed by a gastroenterologist. With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to obtain images of the internal structures of the body for the diagnosis and detection of tumors at the precancerous and earliest stages of their development, as well as the main way to prevent the development of malignant tumors, which is widely used by oncologists, suspecting a neoplasm.
If a malignant neoplasm is suspected, the patient may be referred for additional examinations. This may be an MRI with contrast, a test for oncological markers, and other necessary diagnostic procedures.
The main symptoms that indicate the need to undergo a gallbladder examination are as follows:
- pain under the ribs on the right side;
- bitterness in the mouth;
- nausea of unknown origin;
- intoxication of the body;
- yellow skin and mucous membranes.
Improper nutrition plays an important role in the dysfunction of the organ. Especially high risks of developing abnormalities if the patient eats fried, spicy, fatty foods, smoked meats with spices too often.
With a regular violation of the rules of healthy eating, after a few months, you may encounter the first manifestations of destabilization of the functionality of the gallbladder.
Patients with diagnosed pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are also sent for diagnostics. This is about:
- pancreatitis;
- stones or sand;
- cholecystitis;
- abnormal development of the gallbladder.
Evaluation of contractility is mandatory to check the functioning of the organ after an injury to the abdominal cavity and the effectiveness of previously prescribed drug treatment.
Control studies will show how effective the prescribed therapy was and whether it needs to be adjusted. The resulting visualization is sometimes used as a kind of navigator for the operation of the specified zone.
And after surgery, the gallbladder and duct system is also regularly monitored to confirm the success of the intervention.
Execution scheme
Ultrasound, which also provides for the definition of function, is carried out in stages. Initially, indicators of the gallbladder are recorded in a state of complete rest. Then the patient takes food and after ten minutes a control study is performed. The second stage is aimed at assessing the functionality of the gallbladder and bile ducts.
This is followed by two more examinations every twenty minutes after the end of the previous one. In contrast to the protocol for the classical procedure, here a survey is used, when the patient is first placed directly on his back, and then he is asked to roll over on his side. Sometimes, if the target area cannot be clearly seen, standing or kneeling examination is possible.
Preparation for research
Special training is required for successful diagnosis. A week before the scheduled examination, the patient must stop taking alcohol and problem foods. The list of the latter includes foods that contribute to flatulence, such as raw vegetables, fruits, berries, as well as legumes, brown bread, yeast-leavened baked goods, and raw milk. All this hinders the compilation of a detailed visualization.
A few days before the due date, enzymes recommended by the attending physician should be taken, and it should also be clarified whether it is necessary to refuse the standard previously approved treatment program for the period of preparatory measures.
On the eve of the procedure with the definition of function, it is worth taking care of a light and nutritious dinner. It is best if it is cereal porridge without sugar, which must be eaten no later than eight o’clock in the evening. If possible, you should go to the toilet, but you do not need to put an enema.
In the morning, even before going to the diagnostic room, it is necessary to prepare boiled yolks from chicken eggs, which will be used to create an optimal load on the gallbladder. After waking up, it is forbidden to drink any drinks, since the incoming liquid can reduce the working volume of the bladder.
Approximate transcript
The patient receives the results of the study, which may contain information characterizing the range of the norm or the pathological process, for example, if the patient is suspected of acute cholecystitis, then the visualization will show:
- thickened walls;
- increase in size;
- internal partitions;
- increased blood flow.
The normal range for the gallbladder is as follows: the length of a healthy bladder is from 4 to 14 centimeters, the width is from 2 to 4 centimeters, and the wall thickness is 4 mm.
After a functional load on the organ, it should decrease in volume by approximately 60-70% within forty-five minutes. Only such an indicator indicates the stability of motor function.
Additionally, the following parameters are considered: the period of contraction, the efficiency of bile secretion, the tone of the sphincter of Oddi.
A decrease in the parameters of the organ at the very beginning of the examination, thickening and deformation of the walls, fuzzy contours indicate a chronic form of cholecystitis. Small inclusions localized in the lumen of the bile ducts also indicate chronic cholecystitis.
As a rule, for the final diagnosis, additional laboratory tests are carried out, taking into account the anamnesis and physical examination of the patient, information from the medical record, hereditary predisposition, current complaints. Based on the above, it is possible to identify violations even at the initial stage.