Body Surface Area as a Surrogate Measure of Gallbladder Sizes and Indices: a Predictive

Abstract

Aims: To Find out the relationship between body surface area and gallbladder size; body surface area and gallbladder roundness index; and body surface area and gallbladder spherical index.
Methods: The length, width of 250 normal subjects comprising 140 males and 110 Females were sonographically measured. The gallbladder volumes, roundness index and spherical index were computed for each subject. Pearson\'s correlation established relationships between body surface area and gallbladder variables. A regression equation of
gallbladder volume and body surface area was computed. Tests were two-tailed with P <0.05 indicating statistical significance.
Results: There was a significant linear correlation between gallbladder size and body surface area (r = 0.400; p= 0.007). The correlation between body surface area and gallbladder roundness index (r = -0.053, p = 0.731) and body surface
area and gallbladder spherical index (r =- 0.133, p = 0.389) were not significant. An equation relating gallbladder volume and body surface area based on a simple linear regression gave GBV (cm³) = 32.036 BSA (m²) - 25.943.
Conclusion: Body surface area significantly correlates with gallbladder size and hence can be used to predict gallbladder sizes prior to cholecystosonography.
Keywords: Body surface area, gallbladder size, cholecystosonography
Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 2 (2) 2007: pp. 101-104