Presentation
Ongoing upper abdominal pain. There is no convincing evidence of gall bladder pathology on ultrasound or CT. HIDA to assess for gallbladder pathology, including dysfunction.
Patient Data
normal filling of the gallbladder
unobstructed passage of the radiotracer through the cystic duct, bile duct, and into the duodenum
gallbladder ejection fraction of 72% (normal > 33% for this protocol)
Normal cholescintigraphy (HIDA) scan with no evidence of cholecystitis or gallbladder dysfunction.
Case Discussion
A normal HIDA scan was performed with 75 MBq of Tc-99m DISIDA given intravenously, and imaging commenced at 1 hour after administration. An oral fat-rich meal was given to stimulate gallbladder contraction. Radiotracer activity in the gallbladder was measured over time as it emptied through the cystic duct, allowing assessment of gallbladder function. A normal gallbladder ejection fraction under this protocol is > 33%.