Left-sided gallbladder associated with anomalous branching of the portal vein detected by sonography.

We experienced a patient with a left-sided gallbladder associated with a right umbilical portion. The etiology of the left-sided gallbladder associated with a right umbilcal portion was in this case not anomalous positioning of the gallbladder, but an embryologic abnormality of the umbilical vein. Ramification of the portal vein should be examined in patients with left-sided gallbladder, especially those scheduled to undergo hepato-biliary surgery, since misunderstanding of anatomy may result in serious problems.