Acute Biliary Conditions

Acute biliary diseases (ABDs) refer to a heterogeneous group of conditions primarily affecting the bile ducts and gallbladder, including infectious and inflammatory entities often caused by calculi. Due to their high prevalence, all physicians should be familiar with them. Signs and symptoms of these conditions include obstructive jaundice, pain, and sepsis. Imaging of the biliary tract and gallbladder is crucial in determining the etiology and the grade of the disorder, allowing early treatment and avoiding severe complications. Sonography, a relatively inexpensive and widely available imaging modality, is used in these conditions as the primary imaging modality with variable sensitivity and specificity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) provide a more throughout examination, allowing for the study of the patient’s anatomy and therefore simplifying the treatment with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or interventional radiology (IR) procedures, important alternatives to surgery