Gallstone

A gallstone is a hardened deposit that forms from substances in bile in the gallbladder or bile ducts. Most are made chiefly of cholesterol or bilirubin compounds.

Bile: A digestive fluid made by the liver that helps absorb fats and carries substances such as cholesterol and bilirubin. Its chemical composition determines which materials can crystallize into stones.
Abdominal ultrasonography: An imaging examination that uses sound waves to show abdominal organs and structures. It is the usual first imaging test for gallbladder stones.
Gallbladder: A small organ beneath the liver that stores and concentrates bile between meals. Most gallstones form in this bile-storage organ.
Choledocholithiasis: The presence of one or more stones in the common bile duct. A gallbladder stone may pass into the duct and obstruct bile flow.
Black pigment gallstone: A hard, dark pigment stone formed mainly from calcium bilirubinate, usually within the gallbladder. Its formation is associated with excess unconjugated bilirubin, unlike cholesterol stones.
Cholesterol gallstone: A gallstone composed mainly of cholesterol crystals, often with smaller amounts of other substances. This common subtype forms when bile contains more cholesterol than it can keep dissolved.
Cholecystectomy: Surgical removal of the gallbladder, usually performed laparoscopically. It is the definitive treatment for many symptomatic gallbladder stones.
Common bile duct: The duct that carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Stones can migrate here and obstruct bile drainage.
Ascending cholangitis: A bacterial infection of the bile ducts, usually associated with obstructed bile flow. A duct stone can create the obstruction that allows this dangerous infection to develop.
Brown pigment gallstone: A softer pigment stone formed mainly in bile ducts, often in association with infection or bile stasis. Its duct-based formation and associations differ from those of black pigment stones.

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