Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Jun;48(6):1921-1932.
doi: 10.1007/s00261-023-03832-1. Epub 2023 Feb 15.

Imaging of benign gallbladder and biliary pathologies in pregnancy

Karthik M Sundaram  1 , Matthew A Morgan  2 , Jena Depetris  3 , Hina Arif-Tiwari  4
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Imaging of benign gallbladder and biliary pathologies in pregnancy

Karthik M Sundaram et al. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2023 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

The rising incidence combined with pregnancy-related physiological changes make gallbladder and biliary pathology high on the differential for pregnant patients presenting with right upper abdominal pain. Imaging plays a crucial role in determining surgical versus non-surgical management in pregnant patients with biliary or gallbladder pathology. Ultrasound (first-line) and magnetic resonance with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (second-line) are the imaging techniques of choice in pregnant patients with suspected biliary pathology due to their lack of ionizing radiation. MRI/MRCP offers an excellent non-invasive imaging option, providing detailed anatomical detail without known harmful fetal side effects. This article reviews physiological changes in pregnancy that lead to gallstone and biliary pathology, key imaging findings on US and MRI/MRCP, and management pathways.

Keywords: Biliary; Gallbladder; MRI/MRCP; Pregnancy; Ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Dietrich CS, Hill CC, Hueman M (2008) Surgical Diseases Presenting in Pregnancy. Surgical Clinics of North America 88:403–419. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.suc.2007.12.003 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ellington SR, Flowers L, Legardy-Williams JK, et al (2015) Recent trends in hepatic diseases during pregnancy in the United States, 2002–2010. Am J Obstet Gynecol 212:524.e1-524.e7. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2014.10.1093 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Schwulst SJ, Son M (2020) Management of Gallstone Disease During Pregnancy. JAMA Surg 155:1162–1163. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.3683 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rana P, Gupta P, Chaluvashetty SB, et al (2020) Interventional radiological management of hepatobiliary disorders in pregnancy. Clin Exp Hepatol 6:176–184. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.5114/ceh.2020.99508 - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Date RS, Kaushal M, Ramesh A (2008) A review of the management of gallstone disease and its complications in pregnancy. The American Journal of Surgery 196:599–608. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.01.015 - DOI - PubMed