MRCP imaging of duplicate gallbladder: a case report and review of the literature.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Duplicate gallbladder is a rare congenital abnormality of the hepatobiliary system that has an incidence of roughly 1 in 4000. Many surgical studies have demonstrated that congenital anomalies of the gallbladder and anatomical variations of its position are associated with an increased risk of complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Using ultrasound, MRCP and 3D reconstructions, we report a case of a 29-year-old female who was incidentally revealed to have a duplicated gallbladder. A review of the literature surrounding this variant, its anatomical classifications and relevance to surgical practice is included. CONCLUSION: The double gallbladder is a rare congenital condition that is often not considered in the differential diagnosis for a patient with gallbladder disease or intraoperatively. At present, it is only detected via pre-operative imaging in 50% of cases, but an understanding of the limitations of ultrasound combined with more frequent and thorough use of MRCP before surgical intervention could prevent serious complications of laparoscopy in these patients.