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You may be instructed to drink plenty of fluids and empty your bladder frequently for about 24 hours after the procedure to help flush the remaining radionuclide from your body. You should move slowly when getting up from the scanner table to avoid any dizziness or lightheadedness from lying flat for the length of the procedure. In some cases, you may receive an IV injection of morphine during the procedure to allow better visualization of the gallbladder during an indeterminate test. You will need to remain still during the procedure, as any movement may affect the quality of the scan. In other words, the gallbladder needs to be visualized, and this is most often done with an ultrasound.
This noninvasive imagining test can reveal inflammation, blockages or growths in the gallbladder or bile ducts. When bile backs up into your liver, as a result of gallbladder problems or bile duct problems or both, it causes inflammation and eventually scarring of the liver . This will do long-term damage to your liver’s functioning.
Gallstones
However, an x-ray is only helpful for finding calcified gallstones, so you might need other tests to find non-calcified gallstones. An abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to check a number of conditions. Learn about what ultrasounds are used for and if there are any risks. A gallbladder ultrasound is a noninvasive and typically painless examination used to diagnose conditions related to the gallbladder.
An abdominal X-ray can spot gas and some types of gallstones containing calcium. Some X-ray types require that a patient swallow a dye or have dye injected into the body so the X-ray can capture a clearer picture of the gallbladder. If you don't have symptoms, that doesn’t mean your gallbladder is perfectly normal. Often, doctors will spot signs of gallbladder problems during diagnostic testing for some other symptom or health condition.
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When the gallbladder can’t do its job, bile can’t flow to your small intestine to help with digestion, and instead builds up in your blood. Since bile in your small intestine is important for breaking down fats, you may have some digestive difficulties, especially digesting fatty foods. Since bile is also a carrier for toxins that the liver has filtered from your body, bile that builds up in your blood will make you sick. A HIDA scan is most often done to evaluate your gallbladder. It’s also used to look at the bile-excreting function of your liver and to track the flow of bile from your liver into your small intestine. Liver tests, which are blood tests that can show evidence of gallbladder disease.
A HIDA scan will not only detect calcified or pigmented gallstones but cholesterol ones. Gallstones discovered using ERCP can be removed during the procedure. Gallstones are the most common cause of gallbladder problems, but they don’t always cause problems. When they do, it’s usually because they block the flow of bile in your gallbladder, bile ducts or both. Less commonly, bile may back up because the emptying function of your gallbladder is sluggish, or because some other condition has made your bile ducts too narrow. Backed-up bile is the most common cause of gallbladder inflammation , but sometimes a separate infection causes it.
Can a HIDA scan be used to diagnose gallbladder disease?
A complete blood count, or CBC, can help confirm an infection if there is a high white blood cell count. Other specific blood tests can also reveal high bilirubin levels or elevated enzymes suggesting an obstruction in the gallbladder. Ultrasound uses sound waves to visualize the bile ducts, liver, and pancreas. When gallstones are present, they are seen in either the gallbladder or bile ducts. It is considered the go-to test for symptoms of bilary colic and is the first test considered if a healthcare provider suspects gallstones.
Other gallbladder ailments can bring on rapid, intense pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography , a procedure in which a tube is placed down the patient's throat, into the stomach, then into the small intestine. Dye is injected and the ducts of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas can be seen on X-ray. An x-ray uses electromagnetic radiation to create black-and-white images of the inside of your body. Your health provider may order an x-ray if they suspect gas buildup, calcified gallstones or porcelain gallbladder concerns. An ultrasound is a form of diagnostic sonography using high-frequency sound waves.
Associated Procedures
A high white blood cell count may indicate infection. If you’re experiencing pain in your upper abdomen, indigestion or other signs of gallbladder issues, you may need to undergo image testing. If you require diagnostic imaging, consider Envision Imaging.
An ultrasound allows doctors to view images of the organs and soft tissues inside your body. Using sound waves, an ultrasound provides a real-time picture of your organs. First, your doctor will talk with you about your medical history, symptoms, and family history. A physical exam is performed to locate pain in the abdomen. Your doctor may also ask about your diet and nutrition before doing a blood test. These are small, hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder.
A gamma camera is positioned over your abdomen to take pictures of the tracer as it moves through your body. This process takes about an hour, during which you'll need to remain still. During the test, you may get an intravenous injection of the drug sincalide , which makes your gallbladder contract and empty.
Yes, since stones can form in the common bile duct, you can have gallstones without a gallbladder. When gallstones are stuck in a bile duct, it is referred to as choledocholithiasis. These stones have a greater likelihood of causing infection than stones formed within the gallbladder. Also known as a hepatobiliary scan or cholescintigraphy, this uses radioactive material injected into your vein to show pictures of your biliary tract taken by a special camera.
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