Cholescintigraphy: a valuable diagnostic method in acute cholecystitis

In 91 patients (36 men, 55 women) who were hospitalized with symptoms of acute cholecystitis, cholescintigraphy was performed with 99m-Tc-ethyl-IDA, in order to evaluate the method in the diagnosis of acute inflammatory disease of the gallbladder. Five groups of patients were recognized: (A) abnormal scintigraphy and verified gallbladder disease, (B) abnormal scintigraphy without verified gallbladder disease (false positive). (C) normal cholescintigraphy but cholelithiasis (false negative), (D) normal cholescintigraphy and no gallbladder disease, and (E) cholescintigraphy in icteric patients. In the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis the sensitivity was 92% and the specificity was 88%. Cholescintigraphy is a useful method for proving or disproving a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis with non-patent cystic duct. It does not reveal calculi in biliary ducts or in a gallbladder with patent cystic duct. In icteric patients, cholescintigraphy has restricted usefulness at serum bilirubin level around 120 mumol or more.