Contracted gallbladder: a finding in hepatic dysfunction.

A review of ultrasound (US) examinations of 35 patients with acute hepatitis revealed 6 patients who had contracted gallbladders despite adequate fasting prior to the examination. After the acute phase of their hepatitis had resolved, four patients had normal gallbladders on US. One patient who did not recover was found at autopsy to have a normal but contracted gallbladder. It is suggested that acute hepatic dysfunction may decrease the flow of bile into the gallbladder, resulting in a gallbladder that is transiently contracted or is not visualized on US.