What is comet-tail artefact gallbladder?

Abstract. The “comet tail” is a well-known ultrasound artifact that appears as a series of parallel bands radiating from a source. This artifact was observed in the gallbladder lumen in eight of 10 patients after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of radiolucent calculi.

What is adenomyomatosis of gallbladder?

Gallbladder (GB) adenomyomatosis (ADM) is a benign, acquired anomaly, characterized by hypertrophy of the mucosal epithelium that invaginates into the interstices of a thickened muscularis forming so-called Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses. There are three forms of ADM: segmental, fundal and more rarely, diffuse.

What is the term comet-tail represents in a ultrasound?

The comet-tail artifact is a grey-scale ultrasound finding seen when small calcific / crystalline / highly reflective objects are interrogated and is believed to be a special form of reverberation artifact.

How is Adenomyomatosis treated?

Adenomyomatosis is a benign condition and frequently asymptomatic, requiring no further treatment. However, elective surgery is often performed in patients with right upper quadrant pain, as in this case, or with inconclusive imaging findings.

What causes comet-tail ultrasound?

In summary, comet tail artifacts are caused by an accumulation of cholesterol crystals in RASs and can be seen in cases of both chronic cholecystitis and xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, as well as in cases of adenomyomatosis.

What is mirror image artifact in ultrasound?

Mirror image artefact is one of the beam path artefacts. These occur when an ultrasound beam is not reflected directly back to the transducer after hitting a reflective surface, but rather takes an indirect return journey.

What is the treatment for adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder?

The fundal type GA can be treated by partial laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The segmental and diffuse type should undergo a total laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Females over 60 years of age who present gallbladder stones and segmental type GA should undergo surgery (4,44 –46).

What is the comet tail artifact in Adenomyomatosis?

comet-tail artifact : echogenic intramural foci from which emanate V-shaped comet tail reverberation artifacts are highly specific for adenomyomatosis, representing the unique acoustic signature of cholesterol crystals within the lumina of Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses 4

What does Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder look like?

Gallbladder (GB) adenomyomatosis (ADM) is a benign, acquired anomaly, characterized by hypertrophy of the mucosal epithelium that invaginates into the interstices of a thickened muscularis forming so-called Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses.

What are the symptoms of a comet tail artifact?

It is similar to the colour comet-tail artifact and is seen in similar situations, although is in general less sensitive than the latter. small renal or ureteric calculi. small common bile duct stones. adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder. pancreatic calcifications of chronic pancreatitis. testicular microlithiasis (sometimes)

Is the comet tail artifact on ultrasonography reliable?

The ultrasonographic finding of the comet tail artifact in patients with thickened gallbladder lesions is associated with the presence of benign gallbladder diseases, and can be considered a reliable sign of benign gallbladder disease.