Diagnosis of Gallstones

Read about Diagnosis of Gallstones presented in simple easy to understand language

Diagnosis is Gallstones very important because the symptoms of this are similar to several other serious diseases like ulcers, appendicitis, heart attack, pancreatitis, hiatal hernia, and hepatitis.
Most of the peoples have gallstones without any symptoms. These are called "silent gallstones" and do not require any treatment.

Most of the time Gallstones cause pain in the upper abdomen this is called as attack because it begins suddenly, often after a fatty meal. The pain is severe and may last for about 30 minutes or up to several hours.

Other Symptoms include
• pain between the shoulder blades or under the right shoulder
• bloating, nausea, and vomiting
• belching, gas, and indigestion
• fever
• chills
• sweating
• Jaundice (yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes)
• clay-colored stools

If you are suffering from the Gall Bladder Disorder first doctors will ask you about your symptoms and medical history, and will perform the below mentioned physical examinations.

Ultrasound: Ultrasound scan test uses the sound waves to capture the images of the internal organs. The pitch or frequency of this sound is so high that humans can't hear it. This high frequency Sound waves is sent into the abdomen through a hand-held probe that a technician glides over the abdominal area. This sound wave bounces back the gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and other organs and return to the probe. Then the machine converts these sound-wave "echoes" into images that can be seen on a TV monitor. Gallstones usually produce a strong echo, and are clearly visible on the monitor.
 

Ultrasound scan will provide a lot of information about a person's condition by
• Confirming whether gallstones are present
• Showing how many stones are present, and their size
• Seeing whether the stones are in the gallbladder or the ducts

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): In this test the patient is given a long, flexible, lighted tube called endoscope to swallow which in turn is connected to a computer and TV monitor. The doctor guides the endoscope through the stomach and into the small intestine. The doctor then injects a special dye that temporarily stains the ducts in the biliary system. ERCP is used to locate stones in the ducts.

Cholecystogram or Cholescintigraphy: These are x-rays that show movement of the gallbladder and any blockage of the cystic duct that connects the gallbladder to the bile duct and carries bile to the duct.

Blood Tests: Blood tests are used to look for any signs of infection, obstruction, pancreatitis, or jaundice.