A CASE OF TORSION OF THE GALLBLADDER WITH STRIKING FINDINGS ON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Torsion of the gallbladder is a relatively rare disease. It has been reported to be hardly diagnosed preoperatively. We report a case of torsion of the gallbladder with striking findings on computed tomography (CT), though we could not make the definitive diagnosis preoperatively. An 85-year-old female was admitted to the hospital because of severe abdominal pain and an abdominal mass. She underwent emergency operation with a diagnosis of acute gangrenous cholecystitis and pericholecystic abscess. The gallbladder had twisted clockwise about 450 degrees and was necrotic. A diagnosis of torsion of the gallbladder was finaly made, and cholecystectomy was performed. She was discharged 15 days later after an uneventful postoperative course. Preoperative CT findings in this case were reviewed retrospectively. As a result, we detected a direct image of the spirally twisted organ. We consider that this striking CT finding is useful for diagnosis of torsion of the gallbladder, and that cholecystectomy should be performed instantly if this disease is strongly suspected.