The human body is a complex system comprised of cells, tissues, and organs designed to keep us alive. While we can easily name the role of the heart, lungs, and brain, other organs are silently at work, waiting for you to notice their contributions to our bodies.
Unfortunately, these quietly working organs are more likely to be noticed when something goes wrong.
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ working behind the scenes in the digestive system, but it can disrupt the body’s processes if it fails to function as intended.
How do you recognize the signs of a gallbladder that goes “bad?” Can a full-body MRI scan tell you what’s happening behind the scenes?
Keep reading to find out!
What is Your Gallbladder, and What Does it Do?
The gallbladder is a small organ in the digestive system that stores and releases bile. Bile is a fluid mixture of cholesterol, bilirubin, and bile salts that helps digest the fats in your food.
How Does the Gallbladder Work?
Your gallbladder starts full of bile, produced by its fellow digestive organ, the liver. When you begin to eat, your gallbladder receives signals to contract and move stored bile through the biliary tract – think of it like a water balloon.
As the bile moves through the biliary tract, it reaches the common bile duct and passes through it into the first part of the small intestine. From here, it mixes with the food waiting to be digested.
Just as if you emptied a water balloon, the gallbladder remains empty and waits for the liver to produce bile to reinflate it again.
Signs and Symptoms of a Bad Gallbladder
The responsibility of the gallbladder is typically a painless and largely unseen process. However, when inflammation or blocked bile ducts lead to a diseased gallbladder, you may end up paying more attention to the silent organ than you would like to.
Gallbladder disease encompasses conditions that can result in inflammation, infection, stones, or gallbladder blockages. Common gallbladder diseases include gallstones, cholecystitis, gallstone pancreatitis, and gallbladder cancer.
When your gallbladder starts to go “bad” or is beginning to develop early signs of gallbladder disease, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Upper abdominal pain
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
- Light brown pee
- Pain following a fatty meal
Gallbladder MRI: What a Whole Body MRI Scan Can Tell You
When it comes to the gallbladder, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. From gallstones to polyps to bile flow abnormalities, it’s essential to not only recognize initial symptoms but also see with your own eyes what’s happening inside your body.
A full-body MRI of the gallbladder can provide a comprehensive image of the small organ, showing the presence of gallstones, tumors, and other abnormalities that may indicate gallbladder disease.
A full-body MRI can help uncover the cause behind your abdominal pain, whether it be hidden gallstones, biliary tract infections, or something else entirely. The goal of our full-body MRI scans near you is to deliver a comprehensive overview of your health, allowing you to regain control over your body.
Discover What’s Happening Inside Your Body with MRI Wellness
Our bodies are complex systems comprised of various moving parts. While things often move according to plan, a random bout of abdominal pain could indicate a more significant problem at hand.
At MRI Wellness, we believe in taking a proactive approach to your health. Whether you are at high risk of developing gallstones or have a family health history of cancer, it’s essential to focus on preventative efforts in regard to your health – rather than treatment for problems that have already developed.
Schedule your scan with MRI Wellness today and take the first step towards a life of proactive prevention.
