This illustration shows the location and anatomy of the gallbladder and bile ducts. The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ, located under the liver. The right and left hepatic ducts branch out to connect to the liver, and come together to form the common hepatic duct, which connects to the gallbladder via the cystic duct. The common hepatic duct connects to the common bile duct, which continues to the distal common bile duct. The common bile duct branches out to connect to the pancreas, located in the curve of the duodenum under and behind the stomach. Copyright 2005-2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Robert Morreale/Visual Explanations, LLC.