Among the various methods used to analyze of gallstones, we used infrared absorption spectrometric methods in 36 patients with gallstones and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry
(ICP-AES)
for
analysis of metals in the gallstones. We also differentiated these stones visually. Of the 36 gallstones, they were identified as calcium bilirubinate stones 29 cases(80.6%), cholesterol stones 6 cases(16.7%, carbonate and calcium phosphate 1
case(2.7%). In visual appearance, all yellow stones had cholesterol component except one which was confirmed as calcium bilirubinate stone and all black and brown stones were calcium bilirubinate or calcium carbonate except one which was
confirmed
as
cholesterol stone. The gallstone of gallbladder had more cholesterol than that of common bile duct or intrahepatic duct and gallstone of common bile duct or intrahepatic duct had more bilirubin than that of the gallbladder. The serum cholesterol
level
of the patients with cholesterol gallstone was in normal range. Pigment stones contain much more quantity of metals(Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, P) than that of cholesterol stones.
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