A Case of Early Cancer of the Gallbladder Diagnosed Preoperatively by Ultrasonography-guided Aspiration Cytology

Yasuaki Hirooka, Ryuichi Hamazoe, Takao Karino*, Tohru Hinohara*, Noboru Yamashiro*

First Department of Surgery, Tottori University School of Medicine
*Department of Surgery, Masuda Red Cross Hospital

A 49-year-old woman with early cancer of the gallbladder, which had been diagnosed by preoperative ultrasonography-guided aspiration cytology, is reported. While being admitted for the purpose of controlling diabetes, the patient underwent an ultrasonographic examination which revealed a tumor of about 18 mm within the gallbladder. Therefore, ultrasonography-guided aspiration cytology was performed and established the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) revealed the presence of an anomalous junction of the pancreaticobiliary duct without dilatation of the common bile duct. The patient received cholecystectomy along with resection of the liver bed and removal of the regional lymph nodes. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a papillary adenocarcinoma localized within the mucosal layer without evidence of lymph node metastasis.

Key words
early cancer of the gallbladder, ultrasonography-guided aspiration cytology, anomalous junction of the pancreaticobiliary duct

Reprint requests
Yasuaki Hirooka First Department of Surgery, Tottori University School of Medicine
36 Nishimachi, Yonago-shi, 683 JAPAN

Accepted
December 10, 1991

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