Diagnostic criteria:
(1) both of the following:
(1a) >= 1 clinical sign or symptom local to the gallbladder
(1b) >= 1 systemic sign
(2) >= 1 positive imaging test (confirms the diagnosis)
Clinical signs and symptoms:
(1) positive Murphy's sign (a supine patient is unable to take a deep breath with the physician's fingers pressed beneath the right costal arch near the gallbladder)
(2) pain or tenderness in the right upper quadrant (RUQ)
(3) mass in the right upper quadrant (RUQ)
Systemic signs:
(1) fever
(2) leukocytosis
(3) elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration
Imaging tests:
(1) ultrasonography
(1a) stones (in calculous cholecystitis)
(1b) thickening of the gallbladder wall >= 5 mm
(1c) tenderness if the probe is pushed against the gallbladder (ultrasonographic Murphy's sign)
(1d) pericholecystic fluid
(2) MRI
(2a) pericholecystic high signal
(2b) enlarged gallbladder
(2c) thickened gallbladder wall
(3) CT
(3a) pericholecystic fluid collection
(3b) enlarged gallbladder
(3c) thickened gallbladder wall
(3d) linear high density areas in the pericholecystic fat
(4) Tc-HIDA scan
(4a) rim sign around the gallbladder fossa
(4b) non-visualized gallbladder with normal uptake and excretion of radioactivity
