
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Gallbladder cancer differential diagnosis
Introduction

Overview
Overview
Gallbladder cancer must be differentiated from hepatocellular carcinomaΒ liver hemangioma, Liver abscess, cirrhosis, inflammatory lesions, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, focal nodular hyperplasia.
Differentiatiating Gallbladder cancer from other Diseases
Differentiatiating Gallbladder cancer from other Diseases
Gallbladder cancer must be differentiated from other diseases that causes right upper quadrant pain include followings:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
- Hepatocellular carcinomaΒ
- Liver hemangioma
- Liver abscess
- Cirrhosis
- Inflammatory lesions
- Cholangiocarcinoma
- Pancreatic carcinoma
- Focal nodular hyperplasia
| Disease | Clinical manifestations | Diagnosis | Comments | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | Signs | |||||||||||||||
| Abdominal Pain | Fever | Rigors and chills | Nausea or vomiting | Jaundice | Constipation | Diarrhea | Weight loss | GI bleeding | Hypo-
tension |
Guarding | Rebound Tenderness | Bowel sounds | Lab Findings | Imaging | ||
| Hepatocellular carcinoma/Metastasis | RUQ | + | β | β | + | β | β | + | β | β | β | β |
|
|
|
Other symptoms: |
| Cholangiocarcinoma | Epigastric | β | β | Β± | Β± | β | + | + | β | β | β | β | N | CT scan
|
| |
| Pancreatic carcinoma | Epigastric | β | β | + | + | β | + | + | β | β | β | β | N |
|
SkinΒ manifestations may include: | |
| Focal nodular hyperplasia | Diffuse | Β± | β | β | Β± | β | + | + | + | β | β | β | Normal or hyperactive |
Extra intestinal findings: | ||
| Disease | Abdominal Pain | Fever | Rigors and chills | Nausea or vomiting | Jaundice | Constipation | Diarrhea | Weight loss | GI bleeding | Hypo-
tension |
Guarding | Rebound Tenderness | Bowel sounds | Lab Findings | Imaging | Comments |
| Gallbladder cancer | Diffuse | Β± | β | β | Β± | β | + | + | β | Β± | β | β | N | Endoscopy is used to confirm diagnosis.
Images used to find complications |
Extra intestinal findings: | |
| Liver hemangioma | RUQ | + | β | + | + | β | Positive in Hep A and E | + | β | Positive in fulminant hepatitis | Positive in acute | + | N |
|
|
|
| Liver abscess | RUQ | + | + | + | + | β | Β± | + | β | + | + | Β± | Normal or hypoactive |
|
|
|
| Cirrhosis | RUQ | β | β | β | + | β | β | + | + | + | β | β | N |
|
US
|
|
| Inflammatory lesions | RUQ | β | β | β | + | β | β | + | + | + | β | β | N |
|
US
|
|
Abbreviations:RUQ= Right upper quadrant of the abdomen, LUQ= Left upper quadrant, LLQ= Left lower quadrant, RLQ= Right lower quadrant, LFT= Liver function test, SIRS= Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, ERCP= Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, IV= Intravenous, N= Normal, AMA= Anti mitochondrial antibodies, LDH= Lactate dehydrogenase, GI= Gastrointestinal, CXR= Chest X ray, IgA= Immunoglobulin A, IgG= Immunoglobulin G, IgM= Immunoglobulin M, CT= Computed tomography, PMN= Polymorphonuclear cells, ESR= Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP= C-reactive protein, TS= Transferrin saturation, SF= Serum Ferritin, SMA= Superior mesenteric artery, SMV= Superior mesenteric vein, ECG= Electrocardiogram
References
- β Kim TK, Lee E, Jang HJ (2015). “Imaging findings of mimickers of hepatocellular carcinoma”. Clin Mol Hepatol. 21 (4): 326β43. doi:10.3350/cmh.2015.21.4.326. PMCΒ 4712159. PMIDΒ 26770920.
- β Ferrell, Linda (2000). “Liver Pathology: Cirrhosis, Hepatitis and Primary Liver Tumors. Update and Diagnostic Problems”. Modern Pathology. 13 (6): 679β704. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3880119. ISSNΒ 0893-3952.
- β Kim, Tae Kyoung; Lee, Eunchae; Jang, Hyun-Jung (2015). “Imaging findings of mimickers of hepatocellular carcinoma”. Clinical and Molecular Hepatology. 21 (4): 326. doi:10.3350/cmh.2015.21.4.326. ISSNΒ 2287-2728.
- β Kim, Tae Kyoung; Lee, Eunchae; Jang, Hyun-Jung (2015). “Imaging findings of mimickers of hepatocellular carcinoma”. Clinical and Molecular Hepatology. 21 (4): 326. doi:10.3350/cmh.2015.21.4.326. ISSNΒ 2287-2728.
- β Alturkistany, Samira; Jang, Hyun-Jung; Yu, Hojun; Lee, Kyoung Ho; Kim, Tae Kyoung (2011). “Fading hepatic hemangiomas on multiphasic CT”. Abdominal Radiology. 37 (5): 775β780. doi:10.1007/s00261-011-9826-6. ISSNΒ 2366-004X.
- β Heiken, Jay P. (2007). “Distinguishing benign from malignant liver tumours”. Cancer Imaging. 7 (Special Issue A): S1βS14. doi:10.1102/1470-7330.2007.9084. ISSNΒ 1470-7330.
- β Tamada T, Ito K, Yamamoto A, Sone T, Kanki A, Tanaka F, Higashi H (2011). “Hepatic hemangiomas: evaluation of enhancement patterns at dynamic MRI with gadoxetate disodium”. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 196 (4): 824β30. doi:10.2214/AJR.10.5113. PMIDΒ 21427331.
- β Bhayana, Deepak; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Jang, Hyun-Jung; Burns, Peter N.; Wilson, Stephanie R. (2010). “Hypervascular Liver Masses on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: The Importance of Washout”. American Journal of Roentgenology. 194 (4): 977β983. doi:10.2214/AJR.09.3375. ISSNΒ 0361-803X.
- β Bhayana, Deepak; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Jang, Hyun-Jung; Burns, Peter N.; Wilson, Stephanie R. (2010). “Hypervascular Liver Masses on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: The Importance of Washout”. American Journal of Roentgenology. 194 (4): 977β983. doi:10.2214/AJR.09.3375. ISSNΒ 0361-803X.
- β Kim, Tae Kyoung; Lee, Kyoung Ho; Jang, HyunβJung; Haider, Masoom A.; Jacks, Lindsay M.; Menezes, Ravi J.; Park, Seong Ho; Yazdi, Leyla; Sherman, Morris; Khalili, Korosh (2011). “Analysis of Gadobenate Dimeglumineβenhanced MR Findings for Characterizing Small (1β2-cm) Hepatic Nodules in Patients at High Risk for Hepatocellular Carcinoma”. Radiology. 259 (3): 730β738. doi:10.1148/radiol.11101549. ISSNΒ 0033-8419.
- β Kim JH, Kim TK, Kim BS, Eun HW, Kim PN, Lee MG, Ha HK (2002). “Enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas with levovist on coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography”. J Ultrasound Med. 21 (2): 141β8. PMIDΒ 11833870.
- β Brannigan, Margot; Burns, Peter N.; Wilson, Stephanie R. (2004). “Blood Flow Patterns in Focal Liver Lesions at Microbubble-enhanced US”. RadioGraphics. 24 (4): 921β935. doi:10.1148/rg.244035158. ISSNΒ 0271-5333.
- β Menias, Christine O.; Surabhi, Venkateswar R.; Prasad, Srinivasa R.; Wang, Hanlin L.; Narra, Vamsi R.; Chintapalli, Kedar N. (2008). “Mimics of Cholangiocarcinoma: Spectrum of Disease”. RadioGraphics. 28 (4): 1115β1129. doi:10.1148/rg.284075148. ISSNΒ 0271-5333.
- β Syed MA, Kim TK, Jang HJ (2007). “Portal and hepatic vein thrombosis in liver abscess: CT findings”. Eur J Radiol. 61 (3): 513β9. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2006.11.022. PMIDΒ 17161932.
- β Kim TK, Jang HJ, Wilson SR (2006). “Benign liver masses: imaging with microbubble contrast agents”. Ultrasound Q. 22 (1): 31β9. PMIDΒ 16641791.
- β Kim, Kyoung Won; Choi, Byung Ihn; Park, Seong Ho; Kim, Ah Young; Koh, Young Hwan; Lee, Hyun Ju; Han, Joon Koo (2004). “Pyogenic hepatic abscesses: distinctive features from hypovascular hepatic malignancies on contrast-enhanced ultrasound with SH U 508A; early experience”. Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. 30 (6): 725β733. doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2004.03.006. ISSNΒ 0301-5629.
- β Liu GJ, Lu MD, Xie XY, Xu HX, Xu ZF, Zheng YL, Liang JY, Wang W (2008). “Real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of infected focal liver lesions”. J Ultrasound Med. 27 (4): 657β66. PMIDΒ 18359914.
- β Wilson, Stephanie R.; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Jang, Hyun-Jung; Burns, Peter N. (2007). “Enhancement Patterns of Focal Liver Masses: Discordance Between Contrast-Enhanced Sonography and Contrast-Enhanced CT and MRI”. American Journal of Roentgenology. 189 (1): W7βW12. doi:10.2214/AJR.06.1060. ISSNΒ 0361-803X.
- β Guo, Le-Hang; Xu, Hui-Xiong (2015). “Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Controversy over the ASSLD Guideline”. BioMed Research International. 2015: 1β5. doi:10.1155/2015/349172. ISSNΒ 2314-6133.
- β Choi BI, Kim TK, Han JK (1998). “MRI of clonorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma”. J Magn Reson Imaging. 8 (2): 359β66. PMIDΒ 9562062.
- β Kim, T K; Choi, B I; Han, J K; Jang, H J; Cho, S G; Han, M C (1997). “Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma of the liver: two-phase spiral CT findings”. Radiology. 204 (2): 539β543. doi:10.1148/radiology.204.2.9240550. ISSNΒ 0033-8419.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vamsikrishna Gunnam M.B.B.S [2]
