Radionuclide scanning for the rapid diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.

Radionuclide scanning with Technetium 99-m HIDA was performed in eighty-nine patients with suspected acute cholecystitis. In twenty-three patients (25.8%), the study demonstrated evidence of cystic duct obstruction and non-visualisation of the gallbladder. Almost all of these patients subsequently were shown to have acute cholecystitis at surgery. The sensitivity and specificity of the procedure for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was 95.8% and 100% respectively. The use of radionuclide cholescintigraphy in the assessment of hepatobiliary disorders is reviewed, and it is suggested that it is the test of choice at present for diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.