A 67-year-old woman is evaluated for obstructive jaundice. The cholangiographic findings indicate that she has a cancer of the lower end of the CBD. Clinical examination would most likely reveal which of the following?
High-Yield Explanation
The gallbladder is enlarged (Courvoisier's sign) in most cases of obstructive jaundice attributable to malignancy. In obstructive jaundice attributable to gallstones, the gallbladder is usually shrunken, owing to the previous inflammatory condition affecting the gallbladder.