Gallstones Classification by Cross-Sectional Morphology and Using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Iraqi Kurdish Women

Abstract Background: Cholelithiasis is characterized by an abundance of bilirubin or cholesterol in the gallbladder or biliary tract. Gallstones (GSs) made of cholesterol are created when the physico-chemical equilibrium of cholesterol solubility in bile is upset, causing an imbalance in biliary cholesterol homeostasis. It is a surgical problem that general surgeons deal with frequently. Pathogenesis is a painful condition that affects the gallbladder and is associated with an interplay of hereditary and environmental factors. Cholesterol, pigment, or mixed stones are the most common classifications based on their morphology or primary component. Objectives: The study’s aim is to use Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify the types of GSs. Materials and Methods: Eighty-one GSs surgically removed from the gallbladder were evaluated; FTIR spectroscopy and photographic techniques were used and were classified into three groups based on morphology and different FTIR absorption bands. Results: Based on the typical FTIR spectrum features, the constituents discovered include cholesterol, bilirubin, and calcium carbonate, with cholesterol being the most prevalent, followed by bilirubin. The most prevalent stone color was brown, followed by black. Based on FTIR analysis, we divided GSs into three categories: pure cholesterol stones, pure bilirubin stones, and mixed kinds of stones. Conclusion: The most prevalent type of GS was the cholesterol stone type.