Gangrenous or necrotizing cholecystitis is a severe form of acute cholecystitis resulting in ischemic necrosis of the gallbladder wall. It has higher morbidity and mortality, generally occurring in older patients.
The key imaging featuring differentiating acute uncomplicated cholecystitis from gangrenous cholecystitis are:
- gas in the wall or lumen
- intraluminal membranes
- irregular or absent wall
- irregular wall enhancement
- pericholecystic abscess