Sonographic relationship between gallbladder wall thickness and the etiology of ascites.

Gallbladder wall thickness (GBWT) and serum albumin were determined in 54 patients with ascites. The statistical analysis of the results reveals a significant difference in GBWT between benign and malignant conditions (p less than 0.01). GBWT was significantly thicker in patients with cirrhosis than in those with malignant ascites (p less than 0.01) and other benign conditions. However, no significant differences were found between either cirrhotic cases with and without overlying hepatocarcinoma, or between noncirrhotic patients, malignant or otherwise. On comparing GBWT and simple routine sonography in establishing the etiology of ascites, the diagnostic reliability indices decreased with GBWT. This shows that GBWT determination lacks diagnostic importance in routine practice. No correlation was found between serum albumin and GBWT, which suggests that the increase in GBWT observed in cirrhotic patients is mainly the result of accompanying portal hypertension.