How to detect gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer is a deadly cancer. The earlier the treatment of gallbladder cancer is, the better. In the face of gallbladder cancer, you must not delay. Once the cancer cells spread, it will greatly increase the risk of gallbladder cancer. The identification of gallbladder cancer requires accurate examination by a doctor, so what are the examinations needed for gallbladder cancer? There are four main aspects of the examination of the gallbladder: ultrasound examination, CT scan, and MRI examination.

Gallbladder cancer screening:

1. Ultrasound examination: B-ultrasound examination is simple, non-destructive and can be used repeatedly. Its diagnostic accuracy rate is over 90%, making it the preferred method for diagnosing gallbladder diseases. With the continuous upgrading of instruments, it is now possible to not only clearly observe the size of gallbladder lesions, but also to help determine whether cancer has occurred by observing the blood flow of the lesion tissue. It can also be used to observe whether there is obvious lymph node metastasis and whether the liver is involved. Experienced examiners can even determine which layer of the gallbladder is affected by the lesion.

2. CT scan: CT scan is not as good as ultrasound for the diagnosis of early gallbladder cancer. However, for patients who have been found to be highly suspected of gallbladder cancer by ultrasound, enhanced CT examination is necessary. The CT imaging changes of gallbladder cancer can be divided into three types: ① wall thickness type: limited or diffuse irregular thickening of the gallbladder wall, ② nodular type: papillary nodules protrude from the gallbladder wall into the cavity, ③ solid type: due to the extensive infiltration and thickening of the gallbladder wall by the tumor and the filling of the intracavitary cancer mass, a substantial mass is formed. In enhanced scanning, it can generally be seen that the lesion tissue has a rich blood supply. If the tumor invades the liver or has related lymph node metastasis, it can often be displayed under CT imaging.

3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI is generally not the first choice or necessary examination item for gallbladder cancer. It can only be considered when it is necessary to determine whether the lesion involves the liver or when the patient has obstructive jaundice. Its accuracy is similar to that of CT, but it has the advantage of no radiation damage and can be repeated many times.

4. PET-CT: As a relatively qualitative examination item, under the premise of excluding acute cholecystitis, this examination can help to make a qualitative diagnosis of gallbladder space-occupying lesions and help determine whether there are lesions outside the gallbladder. However, it is expensive and prone to false positive results when combined with acute cholecystitis, so it is generally not used as a routine examination.

5. Laboratory examination: When gallbladder lesions become cancerous, they are usually accompanied by an increase in tumor marker levels. Checking whether serum tumor markers (CEA, Ca125, Ca19-9, Ca724, Ca153, etc.) are elevated is helpful for qualitative diagnosis of gallbladder cancer, but early cancer may not show an increase, or when combined with other digestive tract diseases and certain tumors, the test may have false positive results. Liver function tests are generally normal, and only when there is bile duct obstruction will there be related abnormal manifestations.

The above are the items about the gallbladder cancer examination. A complete and accurate examination is sometimes like a reassurance pill that can calm people's impetuous hearts. Therefore, we cannot miss the necessary examinations. The examination results may surprise or surprise. Before all the results are out, everyone should not jump to conclusions. No matter what the examination results are, we must face them bravely. If you are confirmed to have gallbladder cancer, you must actively seek treatment.