Wall-echo-shadow sign (ultrasound)
Disclosures
- updated 4 Sep 2022:
Nothing to disclose
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The wall-echo-shadow sign (also known as WES sign) is an ultrasonographic finding within the gallbladder fossa referring to the appearance of a "wall-echo-shadow":
- a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the gallbladder wall
- a thin hypoechoic space representing a small amount of bile
- a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the near surface of gallstone(s)
- and acoustic shadowing distal to the surface of the gallstone(s)
The sign suggests either a large gallstone or multiple small gallstones filling the lumen of a contracted or incompletely visualised gallbladder. Recognising this finding helps to avoid misinterpretation of a stone-filled gallbladder as a loop of bowel 3.
Differential diagnosis
- air-filled loop of bowel
- porcelain gallbladder: lacks the thin hypoechoic bile space between the wall and gallstone, as seen in the wall-echo-shadow sign
- emphysematous cholecystitis
-<p>The <strong>wall-echo-shadow sign</strong> (also known as<strong> WES sign</strong><strong>)</strong> is an ultrasonographic finding within the gallbladder fossa referring to the appearance of a "wall-echo-shadow":</p><ul>-<li>a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the gallbladder wall</li>-<li>a thin hypoechoic space representing a small amount of bile</li>-<li>a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the near surface of gallstone(s)</li>-<li>and acoustic shadowing distal to the surface of the gallstone(s)</li>-</ul><p>The sign suggests either a large <a href="/articles/gallstones-1">gallstone</a> or multiple small gallstones filling the lumen of a contracted or incompletely visualised gallbladder. Recognising this finding helps to avoid misinterpretation of a stone-filled gallbladder as a loop of bowel <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><ul>-<li>air-filled loop of bowel</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/porcelain-gallbladder">porcelain gallbladder</a>: lacks the thin hypoechoic bile space between the wall and gallstone, as seen in the wall-echo-shadow sign</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/emphysematous-cholecystitis">e</a><a href="/articles/emphysematous-cholecystitis">mphysematous cholecystitis</a>-</li>- +<p>The <strong>wall-echo-shadow sign</strong> (also known as<strong> WES sign</strong><strong>)</strong> is an ultrasonographic finding within the gallbladder fossa referring to the appearance of a "wall-echo-shadow":</p><ul>
- +<li>a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the gallbladder wall</li>
- +<li>a thin hypoechoic space representing a small amount of bile</li>
- +<li>a curvilinear hyperechogenic line representing the near surface of gallstone(s)</li>
- +<li>and acoustic shadowing distal to the surface of the gallstone(s)</li>
- +</ul><p>The sign suggests either a large <a href="/articles/gallstones-1">gallstone</a> or multiple small gallstones filling the lumen of a contracted or incompletely visualised gallbladder. Recognising this finding helps to avoid misinterpretation of a stone-filled gallbladder as a loop of bowel <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><ul>
- +<li>air-filled loop of bowel</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/porcelain-gallbladder">porcelain gallbladder</a>: lacks the thin hypoechoic bile space between the wall and gallstone, as seen in the wall-echo-shadow sign</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/emphysematous-cholecystitis">e</a><a href="/articles/emphysematous-cholecystitis">mphysematous cholecystitis</a>
- +</li>
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.