Bladder polyps are abnormal growths in the bladder lining that may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Risk factors for bladder polyps include cigarette smoking and gender, with men being more commonly affected. Usually bladder polyps do not cause symptoms, but when symptoms do occur, they may include a constant or urgent need to urinate, pain while urinating, blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen and/or pelvis.
A cyst is a sac-like pocket of tissue that contains fluid, air, or other substances. Bladder cysts are usually benign (non-cancerous) and do not require treatment, however, some cysts are associated with a higher risk of malignancy (cancer).
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen under the liver. It holds a digestive fluid called bile that is released into the small intestine to help break down fats and nutrients. The gallbladder is divided into 3 parts - the neck, body, and fundus. Variations in shape of the gallbladder are common. One such variation is a biliary fold in the body of the gallbladder. It is usually asymptomatic (does not cause symptoms).
Biliary cystadenomas are rare, slow growing, benign (non-cancerous) liver lesions. Biliary cystadenomas may be asymptomatic (do not cause symptoms) or may cause symptoms of pain and/or a palpable lump in the right upper abdomen, abdominal swelling and/or distention, epigastric fullness, and nausea.
There are several possible causes of bladder wall calcification including cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), radiation to the area, schistosomiasis (a disease caused by parasitic worms that live in infested water located in tropical and subtropical regions), tuberculosis, and neoplasia (cancerous or non-cancerous growth). A diagnosis can usually be obtained from a combination of history, clinical examination, appropriate laboratory studies, and imaging of the bladder calcification and remaining urinary tract.
A bladder diverticulum forms when some of the bladder lining pokes through a weak part in the bladder wall. A bladder diverticulum can either be congenital (from birth) or acquired (present later in life). Acquired bladder diverticula (when there is typically more than 1 diverticulum present) are most often caused by a blockage in the bladder outlet (such as from a swollen prostate or scars in the urethra [the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body]), the bladder not working well due to nerve injury or, rarely, from prior bladder surgery. Acquired diverticula are most often seen in older men, who tend to get bladder outlet blocks.
