Cholesterolosis of gallbladder

In surgical pathology, strawberry gallbladder, more formally cholesterolosis of the gallbladder and gallbladder cholesterolosis, is a change in the gallbladder wall due to excess cholesterol.

Cholesterolosis of gallbladder
Micrograph of cholesterolosis of the gallbladder, with an annotated foam cell. H&E stain.
Specialty	Gastroenterology

The name strawberry gallbladder comes from the typically stippled appearance of the mucosal surface on gross examination, which resembles a strawberry. Cholesterolosis results from abnormal deposits of cholesterol esters in macrophages within the lamina propria (foam cells) and in mucosal epithelium. The gallbladder may be affected in a patchy localized form or in a diffuse form. The diffuse form macroscopically appears as a bright red mucosa with yellow mottling (due to lipid), hence the term strawberry gallbladder. It is not tied to cholelithiasis (gallstones) or cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder).

Additional images

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  Micrograph of cholesterolosis of the gallbladder
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  Micrograph of cholesterolosis of the gallbladder
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  Micrograph of cholesterolosis of the gallbladder

See also

• Cholecystectomy
• Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses

Further reading

• Izzo L, Boschetto A, Brachini G, et al. (2001). "["Strawberry" gallbladder: review of the literature and our experience]". Il Giornale di Chirurgia (in Italian). 22 (1–2): 33–6. PMID 11272434.