Pneumobilia
Pneumobilia, is simply accumulation of air in the biliary tree, the causes of which include:
- post instrumentation, e.g. ERCP
- incompetent Sphincter of Oddi, e.g. post sphincterotomy, or following passage of a gallstone
- biliary-enteric fistula
- gallstone ileus
- trauma
- pepetic ulcer disease, e.g. duodenal ulcer perforating into the common bile duct
- secondary to surgery, e.g. cholecystoenterostomy
Gas in the gallbladder is seen in emphysematous cholecystitis.
Note the relatively central location of linear air density in the liver (contrast this with the peripheral linear air densities seen with portal venous gas).
