A 29-year-old male patient presented with right upper quadrant pain for 1 week. A right upper quadrant POCUS examination was performed. The following is on of the images obtained.
What structure is the arrow pointing to?
A. IVC
B. Gallbladder
C. Portal vein
Explanation
The gallbladder is generally seen under the inferior surface of the liver. The gallbladder position may be variable, but the neck of the gallbladder is consistent in location. You can also use color or power Doppler to document absence of flow within the gallbladder and to distinguish from IVC and portal vein. Always scan the gallbladder in multiple patient positions such as supine, left lateral decubitus and even upright to avoid missing tiny gallstones. If the gallbladder is not adequately distended, then a repeat scan is advisable if a gallbladder pathology is suspected. The patient should be scanned fasting.
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