Aim: The aim of this study is to measure the diameter of the cystic artery using computed tomography in patients undergoing emergency surgery for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, as well as to understand the role of cystic artery diameter in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, and to investigate its association with clinical data, laboratory data, and computed tomography findings.

Methods: A total of 187 patients admitted to the general surgery clinic between 2019 and 2023, comprising 123 individuals as the patient group and 64 individuals as the control group, were reviewed in terms of their radiological images, demographic data, and laboratory parameters. The patients' surgical records, laboratory parameters, and computed tomography scans taken during the diagnosis were investigated.

Results: The diameter of the cystic artery was measured, and a cut-off value of cystic artery diameter >1.9 mm was found to be sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (AUC: 0.852, 94% sensitivity, 75% specificity, p <0.001, 95% confidence interval 0.792-0.899).

Conclusion: A cystic artery diameter >1.9 mm was found to be highly specific for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. This study suggests that the measurement of cystic artery diameter can be used as an additional criterion in the evaluation of computed tomography for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.

Keywords: acute cholecystitis, computed tomography, cystic artery