Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of CT scanning and MR imaging on acute cholecystitis. Methods The CT or MR imaging data of 21 patients with proved acute cholecystitis were retrospectively reviewed. Eleven patients were examined with contrast-enhanced multi-detector-row spiral CT scanning and other 10 cases underwent contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Results Nineteen patients showed obscure gallbladder outlines （90.5%）. The gallbladder wall demonstrated even thickening in 15 patients （71.4%） and irregular thickening in 6 cases （28.6%）. All patients showed inhomogeneous enhancement of the gallbladder wall （100%）. The bile was hyper-dense or hyper-intense on T1W image in 11 cases （52.4%）. Ten cases had free peri-cholecystic effusion （47.6%）, and 16 cases had peri-cholecystic adhesive changes or fat swelling （76.2%）. Patchy or linear-like transient enhancement of the adjacent hepatic bed in the arterial phase was seen in 16 cases （76.2%）. Twelve patients developed pleural effusion, or ascites, or both （57.1%）. Gallbladder perforation complicated with peritonitis was seen in one case, micro-abscess formation and pneumocholecystitis was observed in another case, and one case had gallbladder diverticulum. Conclusion Wall blurring, pericholecystic adhesion or fat edema, and transient enhancement of adjacent hepatic bed in the arterial phase are the imaging findings specifically associated with acute cholecystitis, which are readily appreciated on contrast-enhanced multi-phasic CT and MR scanning.