Right upper quadrant pain with normal hepatobiliary ultrasound: can hepatobiliary scintigraphy define the cause? 2012

Saleh A Othman
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, King Khalid University Hospital and College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. sothman@ksu.edu.sa

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the value of hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HS) for the diagnosis of right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain in patients with normal hepatobiliary ultrasound (HU). This is an observational study with a retrospective analysis of data from March 2008 to August 2010. METHODS We reviewed the HS results of 30 patients, aged 29-69 years (average 45.8 years); 12 male and 18 female patients. Patient selection to perform the HS was RUQ abdominal pain, suspected hepatobiliary disorder, and negative HU. All patients had gone through the standard procedure of HS. RESULTS Based on predefined interpretation criteria, HS results were divided into 2 patterns: Normal (n=8, 25.8%) and abnormal (n=22, 73%): 18 patients (81.8%) having early gallbladder (GB) and common bile duct visualization, and delayed transit to small bowel (SB), which can be seen only after a fatty meal with normal or abnormal GB ejection fraction (GBEF) pattern characteristic of Oddi's sphincter dyskinesia. The remaining 4 patients (8.18%) had acalculous cholycystitis pattern: Delayed GB visualization with activity appearing in SB before GB. CONCLUSIONS HS with fatty meal stimulation and GBEF estimation seems to be a reliable test, which may reveal a biliary cause in more than 70% of patients with RUQ abdominal pain and normal HU. Normal results exclude functional biliary cause. The decision for invasive or noninvasive therapeutic approach may depend on the results of HS.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007098 Imino Acids Carboxylic acids that contain an imino group (C Amino Acids, Secondary,Acids, Secondary Amino,Secondary Amino Acids,Acids, Imino
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009803 Sphincter of Oddi The sphincter of the hepatopancreatic ampulla within the duodenal papilla. The COMMON BILE DUCT and main pancreatic duct pass through this sphincter. Oddi's Sphincter,Oddi Sphincter,Oddis Sphincter,Sphincter, Oddi's
D011237 Predictive Value of Tests In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D011877 Radionuclide Imaging The production of an image obtained by cameras that detect the radioactive emissions of an injected radionuclide as it has distributed differentially throughout tissues in the body. The image obtained from a moving detector is called a scan, while the image obtained from a stationary camera device is called a scintiphotograph. Gamma Camera Imaging,Radioisotope Scanning,Scanning, Radioisotope,Scintigraphy,Scintiphotography,Imaging, Gamma Camera,Imaging, Radionuclide
D003137 Common Bile Duct Diseases Diseases of the COMMON BILE DUCT including the AMPULLA OF VATER and the SPHINCTER OF ODDI.
D005260 Female Females
D005705 Gallbladder Diseases Diseases of the GALLBLADDER. They generally involve the impairment of BILE flow, GALLSTONES in the BILIARY TRACT, infections, neoplasms, or other diseases. Gall Bladder Diseases,Bladder Disease, Gall,Bladder Diseases, Gall,Disease, Gall Bladder,Disease, Gallbladder,Diseases, Gall Bladder,Diseases, Gallbladder,Gall Bladder Disease,Gallbladder Disease
D005998 Glycine A non-essential amino acid. It is found primarily in gelatin and silk fibroin and used therapeutically as a nutrient. It is also a fast inhibitory neurotransmitter. Aminoacetic Acid,Glycine, Monopotassium Salt,Glycine Carbonate (1:1), Monosodium Salt,Glycine Carbonate (2:1), Monolithium Salt,Glycine Carbonate (2:1), Monopotassium Salt,Glycine Carbonate (2:1), Monosodium Salt,Glycine Hydrochloride,Glycine Hydrochloride (2:1),Glycine Phosphate,Glycine Phosphate (1:1),Glycine Sulfate (3:1),Glycine, Calcium Salt,Glycine, Calcium Salt (2:1),Glycine, Cobalt Salt,Glycine, Copper Salt,Glycine, Monoammonium Salt,Glycine, Monosodium Salt,Glycine, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate,Acid, Aminoacetic,Calcium Salt Glycine,Cobalt Salt Glycine,Copper Salt Glycine,Hydrochloride, Glycine,Monoammonium Salt Glycine,Monopotassium Salt Glycine,Monosodium Salt Glycine,Phosphate, Glycine,Salt Glycine, Monoammonium,Salt Glycine, Monopotassium,Salt Glycine, Monosodium

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