- A ‘porcelain gallbladder’, a gallbladder with a calcified wall
- Associated with an increased risk of malignancy.
- The risk of malignancy in a porcelain gallbladder previously was considered to be very high (10–50%), so routine prophylactic cholecystectomy was recommended.
- However, recent studies demonstrate a lower incidence of association with gallbladder cancer (< 10%) with stippled calcification actually carrying a higher risk than diffuse intramural calcification.
- Now patients with a porcelain gallbladder can undergo surveillance, while resection is recommended in certain cases.
