What is the cross sectional imaging appearance and clinical significance of a gallbladder polyp?
A gallbladder polyp is usually an incidental finding on imaging and is usually benign in nature. On CT and MRI, a gallbladder polyp appears as an intraluminal enhancing lesion that is attached to the gallbladder wall. It is generally considered as benign if less than 5 mm in size, and it can be followed up with US, CT, or MRI when 5 to 10 mm. Surgical consultation can be obtained when a polyp exceeds 10 mm in size, increases in size over time, or is symptomatic, because there is increased likelihood of developing malignancy in such scenarios. Extra caution is taken in patients with a history of primary malignancy (especially in patients with melanoma or breast cancer), as metastatic disease to the gallbladder is also possible.
