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Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound in Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery pp 63–72Cite as

Gallbladder and Biliary Tract

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Abstract

Ultrasound is the preferred initial imaging modality for any suspected pathology of the gallbladder and the biliary system. It is noninvasive, portable, relatively inexpensive, and does not carry the risk or radiation burden that accompanies other diagnostic modalities. Ultrasound is reliable and accurate in the detection of hepatobiliary malformations such as choledochal cysts and gallbladder diseases such as cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and often cholangitis. Ultrasound is one cornerstone in the evaluation of patients with biliary atresias. A thorough assessment includes a fasting evaluation of the gallbladder contour, wall thickness, shape, and contents, as well as the intrahepatic and extrahepatic ductal structures. Color Doppler aids in the discrimination of structures of the port hepatis. Many clinicians rely upon ultrasound as an adjunct or the definitive diagnostic tool in the workup of pediatric gallbladder and bile duct pathology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, One Children’s Hospital Drive, 4401 Penn Avenue, 15261, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Stefan Scholz MD, FACS, FAAP

  2. Department of General Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, 15213, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Christine M. Leeper MD

  3. Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, 4401 Penn Avenue, 15224, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Gary Nace MD

Authors
  1. Christine M. Leeper MD
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  2. Gary Nace MD
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  3. Stefan Scholz MD, FACS, FAAP
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Scholz MD, FACS, FAAP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric General & Thoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Stefan Scholz

  2. Section of Pediatric Surgery, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Marcus D. Jarboe

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Leeper, C., Nace, G., Scholz, S. (2016). Gallbladder and Biliary Tract. In: Scholz, S., Jarboe, M. (eds) Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound in Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21699-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21699-7_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-21698-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-21699-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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