What condition is indicated by a dilated common bile duct with gallbladder stones but no wall thickening?

A dilated common bile duct alongside the presence of gallbladder stones, without any wall thickening of the gallbladder itself, strongly points towards choledocholithiasis. This condition occurs when one or more gallstones obstruct the common bile duct, leading to bile duct dilation due to the accumulation of bile upstream from the obstruction.

In this scenario, the absence of wall thickening indicates that there is likely no inflammation or infection of the gallbladder itself, which would be typical in cases such as cholecystitis. In acute cholecystitis, you would generally expect to see gallbladder wall thickening due to inflammation.

Pancreatitis, while it can sometimes be associated with bile duct obstruction, would typically present with more severe abdominal symptoms and may also show additional laboratory signs, such as elevated amylase or lipase levels, but it would not directly indicate a specific dilation of the bile duct without involving the gallbladder walls.

Gallbladder cancer, while a possibility, is usually associated with more distinct imaging findings and clinical presentation, including wall thickening, masses, or other abnormalities beyond just a dilated common bile duct.

Therefore, the combination of a dilated common bile duct, the presence of