Fixed-point and stratified analysis of the fine structure and composition of five gallstones with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) specular reflection spectroscopy

By investigating the identities, amounts, and distributions of the major components of human gallstones, the formation mechanism of calculi may be elucidated. Using FT-IR specular reflection spectroscopy, the compositions of five common types of gallstones, including cholesterol calculus, bile pigment calculus, cholesterol-bilirubin calculus, mixed calculus, and black stones, were positionally, qualitatively, and quantitatively analyzed. Several organic and inorganic substances were found in human gallstones, including cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and calcium stearate. Among them, cholesterol and calcium bilirubinate were the main components. The amounts of these substances varied in different types of gallstone. The distributions of cholesterol and calcium salts (with the exception of calcium bilirubinate) were also closely associated with location. In the various calculi, the amounts of cholesterol and calcium bilirubinate in the cores, the layered structures outside the cores, and the outer shells were higher than those of other substances. The identities of the major components of calculi were similar in different types of gallstones, but their amounts and distributions were significantly different. The analytical method used in this study, which was able to accurately determine the location, quality, and quantity of the major components of gallstones, would be an effective tool to study the formation mechanism of calculi. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2011. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.