Gallbladder, Anterior View, Black

Description

Positioned on the visceral surface of the right lobe of the liver, the gallbladder (vesica fellea) appears as a green, pear-shaped sac in the right upper quadrant, lying inferior to the hepatic parenchyma and lateral to the porta hepatis. From the neck of the gallbladder, the cystic duct ascends medially to join the common hepatic duct, forming the common bile duct, while intrahepatic biliary radicals are traced through the semi-transparent liver. An anterior torso overlay provides surface context, placing the biliary tree deep to the right costal margin and anterior abdominal wall. Orientation of the cystic duct and its union with the common hepatic duct matters when you are teaching or planning intervention for obstructive biliary disease. A small calculus lodged in the cystic duct can produce acute cholecystitis, while a stone at the common bile duct can present with jaundice and cholangitis, and this anterior layout helps clarify why pain localizes to the right hypochondrium yet complications track along the extrahepatic biliary tract. Calot’s (hepatocystic) triangle sits just superior and medial to the gallbladder neck, the anatomic target for safe clipping during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the region where ductal variants and misidentification lead to bile duct injury. Clear landmarks. Use this asset in hepatobiliary anatomy modules, surgery clerkship teaching on the critical view of safety, and publisher figures explaining bile flow from intrahepatic ducts to the duodenum in the setting of cholelithiasis or biliary obstruction. It also fits patient-facing education where surface anatomy and internal organ position need to read at a glance. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.