Sonographic evaluation of patients before laparoscopic cholecystectomy: imaging findings.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a less invasive alternative to conventional cholecystectomy for the surgical treatment of gallstones and has become the preferred method for surgical removal of the gallbladder. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the use of sonography in the preoperative examination of patients being considered for the procedure. Such findings are important because they may depict contraindications to the laparoscopic technique or identity cases in which preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, intraoperative cholangiography, modification of the surgical procedure, or extra care are warranted.