Conditions our MRI scans have found

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen, just beneath the liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid called bile that is released into the small intestine. Gallstones (cholelithiasis) can form when digestive fluid deposits and hardens. Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder. Based on your MRI images, there is no evidence of acute inflammation of the gallbladder but there is evidence of gallstones.

The gallbladder contracts ("shrinks") when it releases bile, and then relaxes, returning to its usual size - this physiologic process can show a "contracted gallbladder" on radiologic imaging. Sometimes, a contracted gallbladder can be caused by chronic inflammation (e.g. symptomatic gallstones) causing gallbladder scarring and a permanently smaller-than-usual gallbladder.

The extrahepatic bile duct is a tube that is outside the liver and carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Dilatation is the expansion or widening of the duct. Dilatation of the extrahepatic bile duct can be due to several causes including early gallstones in the bile duct, obstruction of the common bile duct at the sphincter of Oddi, pregnancy, the presence of a cyst in the bile duct, and/or drugs (e.g. chronic opioid use). Symptoms, if present, could include right upper quadrant pain and/or jaundice.

Bile duct cysts are fluid-filled pockets that form along the biliary duct (the tube that carries bile from the liver and gallbladder into the intestines). It is not known what causes bile duct cysts to form. These cysts can sometimes cause abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and/or abdominal mass.  Bile duct cysts can be a pre-cancer finding, so discuss this with your primary care provider and a gastroenterologist or hepatologist (liver specialist) for further evaluation and management.

The gallbladder, which is part of the biliary tree, is a small organ located under the liver that stores bile, a substance that helps to break down fats. A cyst is a fluid-filled pocket. It is not known what causes gallbladder cysts to form. These cysts can sometimes cause abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) and/or an abdominal mass.  Biliary tree cysts can be a precancerous finding, so discuss this with your primary care provider and a gastroenterologist or hepatologist (liver specialist) for continued follow-up and surveillance.

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen under the liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid called bile that is released into the small intestine to help break down fat and nutrients. Sometimes the gallbladder can look distended (swollen) on imaging. This can happen if there is a blockage (e.g. from gallstones) in the cystic duct, which allows bile to drain from the gallbladder.