Adenomyomatosis with Marked Subserosal Fibrosis and Lipomatosis of the Gallbladder: Mural Stratification Demonstrated with MR

Diffuse Gallbladder Adenomyomatosis in a Child

Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder is a benign condition, usually occurring in middle age, in which the epithelium of the gallbladder proliferates and the gallbladder wall thickens with the presence of Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses (RAS). The diffuse form is an unusual subtype of adenomyomatosis. Herein, we describe a 17-year-old female who presented with dull and intermittent pain in the right hypochondriac region for more than a month. Ultrasound followed by magnetic resonance imaging showed marked diffuse gallbladder wall thickening. A gross cholecystectomy specimen showed a diffusely enlarged gallbladder. The final diagnosis of gallbladder adenomyomatosis (GA) was confirmed by the histopathologic appearance of muscular and epithelial hyperplasia, contributing to mural thickening with epithelial invaginations forming the pathognomonic intramural diverticula known as the RAS. This case highlights that the diffuse form of GA is uncommon and is often accompanied by chronic inflammation, sometimes requiring differential diagnosis from gallbladder malignancies, especially when there is no image showing a “comet tail” of cholesterol crystals in the wall.

Imaging findings of lipomatosis: a comprehensive review

Lipomatosis is a benign and non-encapsulated mature form of fat tissue proliferation, which can be isolated or multiple, symmetrical or infiltrative, and may be associated with several syndromes. Lipomatosis has been reported to involve almost every part and organ in the body. In this review, we present imaging findings at common locations of lipomatosis and summarize lipomatosis-related syndromes.

Imaging of adenomyomatosis of the gall bladder

Adenomyomatosis is a relatively common abnormality of the gall bladder, with a reported incidence of between 2.8 and 5%. Although mainly confined to the adult study group, a number of cases have been reported in the paediatric study group. It is characterized pathologically by excessive proliferation of the surface epithelium and hypertrophy of the muscularis propria of the gall bladder wall, with invagination of the mucosa into the thickened muscularis forming the so-called 'Rokitansky-Aschoff' sinuses. The condition is usually asymptomatic and is often diagnosed as an incidental finding on abdominal imaging. The radiological diagnosis is largely dependent on the visualization of the characteristic Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses. As the condition is usually asymptomatic, the importance of making a correct diagnosis is to prevent misinterpretation of other gall bladder conditions such as gall bladder cancer, leading to incorrect treatment. In the past, oral cholecystography was the main imaging method used to make this diagnosis. In most institutions, oral cholecystography is no longer carried out, and the diagnosis is now more commonly seen on cross-sectional imaging. In this review article, we describe the manifestations of adenomyomatosis on the various imaging methods, with an emphasis on more modern techniques such as magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. A brief section on oral cholecystography to aid readers familiar with this technique in understanding the comparable imaging features on more modern imaging techniques is included.