Delayed visualization of gallbladder with in vivo labeled Tc-99m-red blood cell scintigraphy for gastrointestinal bleeding.

A case of a 78-year-old man with delayed visualization of the gallbladder during in vivo labeling for 99mTc-red blood cell scintigraphy for gastrointestinal bleeding is reported. The patient had several episodes of renal failure, melena, anemia, blood transfusion, and hemodialysis. The mechanism of this unusual phenomenon is not clear; however, excess binding of heme and 99mTc-pertechnetate caused by autohemolysis and oliguria are suggested to be the main factor in this phenomenon.