Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis. The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm, the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity below the lungs. See the entire definition of Abdomen
Bile: Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder and passes through the common bile duct into the duodenum where it helps digest fat. The principal components of bile are cholesterol, bile salts, and the pigment bilirubin. See the entire definition of Bile
Bilirubin: A yellow-orange compound produced by the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells.
Blood clots: Blood that has been converted from a liquid to a solid state. Also called a thrombus. See the entire definition of Blood clots
Cholangiography: Radiographic examination of the bile ducts with contrast medium. The contrast medium may be administered orally or injected intravenously or percutaneously (through the skin).
Cholecystokinin: Abbreviated CCK. A polypeptide hormone that stimulates the contraction of the gallbladder with release of bile and the secretion of pancreatic enzymes into the small intestine. CCK is secreted by cells lining the upper intestine and by the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic cholecystokinin is a neurotransmitter. Called also pancreozymin.
Cholescintigraphy: A diagnostic test in which a two-dimensional picture of a radiation source in the biliary system is obtained by the use of radioisotopes. Cholescintigraphy is done by nuclear medicine physicians to examine the biliary system and diagnose obstruction of the bile ducts (for example, by a gallstone or a tumor), disease of the gallbladder, and bile leaks. For cholescintigraphy, a radioactive chemical is injected intravenously. The chemical is removed from the blood by the liver, and secreted into the bile that the liver makes. The chemical then goes everywhere that the bile goes-into the bile ducts, the gallbladder, and the intestine. By placing a radiation-sensitive camera over the patient's abdomen, a "picture" of the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder may be obtained that corresponds to where the radioactive bile has migrated.
Computerized tomography: Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures. See the entire definition of Computerized tomography
Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.
Duct: A passage or a tube with well-defined walls suitable for the conveyance of air or liquids, as the bile duct and the pancreatic duct. See the entire definition of Duct
Gallbladder: A pear-shaped organ just below the liver that stores the bile secreted by the liver. During a fatty meal, the gallbladder contracts, delivering the bile through the bile ducts into the intestines to help with digestion. Abnormal composition of bile leads to formation of gallstones, a process termed cholelithiasis. The gallstones cause cholecystitis, inflammation of the gallbladder.
Gallstones: Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination. See the entire definition of Gallstones
Geiger counter: The most commonly used portable radiation detection and measuring instrument, consisting of a gas-filled tube containing electrodes, between which an electrical voltage but no current flows. When ionizing radiation passes through the tube, a short, intense pulse of current passes from the negative electrode to the positive electrode and is measured or counted. The number of pulses per second measures the intensity of the radiation field. Geiger counters are highly sensitive to beta particles but relatively insensitive to gamma rays and x-rays.
Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs. See the entire definition of Hormone
Inflammation: A basic way in which the body reacts to infection, irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain. Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response. See the entire definition of Inflammation
Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. It consists of the small and large intestines.
Liver: An organ in the upper abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products and worn-out cells from the blood. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. The liver weighs about three and a half pounds (1.6 kilograms). It measures about 8 inches (20 cm) horizontally (across) and 6.5 inches (17 cm) vertically (down) and is 4.5 inches (12 cm) thick.
Magnetic resonance imaging: A special radiology technique designed to image internal structures of the body using magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce the images of body structures. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scanner is a tube surrounded by a giant circular magnet. The patient is placed on a moveable bed that is inserted into the magnet. The magnet creates a strong magnetic field that aligns the protons of hydrogen atoms, which are then exposed to a beam of radio waves. This spins the various protons of the body, and they produce a faint signal that is detected by the receiver portion of the MRI scanner. A computer processes the receiver information, and an image is produced. The image and resolution is quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body, particularly in the soft tissue, brain and spinal cord, abdomen and joints. See the entire definition of Magnetic resonance imaging
Nuclear medicine: The branch of medicine concerned with the use of radioisotopes in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of disease. Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive materials or radiopharmaceuticals, substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones, or tissues. The radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of cameras: gamma or PET cameras. These cameras work in conjunction with computers used to form images that provide data and information about the area of body being imaged. The amount of radiation from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic x-ray.
Percutaneous: Through the skin, as in a percutaneous biopsy.
Radioactive: Emitting energy waves due to decaying atomic nuclei. Radioactive substances are used in medicine as tracers for diagnosis, and in treatment to kill cancerous cells.
Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of the body by gathering information with a sensing device. See the entire definition of Scan
Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plasma, the liquid portion of normal unclotted blood containing the red and white cells and platelets. It is the clot that makes the difference between serum and plasma. See the entire definition of Serum
Stool: The solid matter discharged in a bowel movement.
Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of the mouth, consisting anatomically of the pharynx and larynx. The throat contains the trachea and a portion of the esophagus.
Tomography: The process for generating a tomogram, a two-dimensional image of a slice or section through a three-dimensional object. Tomography achieves this remarkable result by simply moving an x-ray source in one direction as the x-ray film is moved in the opposite direction during the exposure to sharpen structures in the focal plane, while structures in other planes appear blurred. The tomogram is the picture; the tomograph is the apparatus; and tomography is the process. See the entire definition of Tomography
Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be benign or malignant (cancerous). There are dozens of different types of tumors. Their names usually reflect the kind of tissue they arise in, and may also tell you something about their shape or how they grow. For example, a medulloblastoma is a tumor that arises from embryonic cells (a blastoma) in the inner part of the brain (the medulla). Diagnosis depends on the type and location of the tumor. Tumor marker tests and imaging may be used; some tumors can be seen (for example, tumors on the exterior of the skin) or felt (palpated with the hands). See the entire definition of Tumor
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Gallstones are stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones (formed in the gallbladder) can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination. The majority of gallstones do not cause symptoms.
Jaundice is a yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae) with bilirubin, the pigment found in bile. Jaundice can be an indicator of liver or gallbladder disease, or it may result from the rupture of red blood cells (hemolysis).
The surgery to remove the gallbladder is called a
cholecystectomy (chol-e-cys-tec-to-my). The
gallbladder is removed through a 5 to 8 inch long
incision, or cut, in your abdomen. The cut is made
just below your ribs on the right side and goes to just
below your waist. This is called open
cholecystectomy.
A less invasive way to remove the gallbladder is called
laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This surgery uses a
laparoscope (an instrument used to see the inside of your
body) to remove the gallbladder. It is performed through
several small incisions rather than through one large
incision.
What is a laparoscope and how is it used to remove the
gallbladder?
A laparoscope is a small, thin tube that is put
into your body through a tiny cut made just below your
navel. Your surgeon can then see your gallbladder on a
television screen and do the surgery with tools inserted i...
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