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Results
By Mayo Clinic staffThe doctor who interprets the HIDA scan images (radiologist) may discuss the results of your scan right away. In other cases the radiologist will send the results to your doctor, who will discuss them with you.
HIDA scan images, as seen on a monitor, appear as regions of dark color and lighter or white areas. The more dark color on the image, the greater amount of radioactive tracer was absorbed in that area. Dark color throughout the series of HIDA scan images indicates that the radioactive tracer was able to move freely through your liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and small intestine. If the radioactive tracer wasn't seen in certain HIDA scan images, there may be a blockage or other problem.
Examples of results of a HIDA scan might include:
- Normal. A normal result means that the radioactive tracer moved freely along with the bile from your liver to your small intestine. No problems were detected.
- Slow movement of radioactive tracer. If the radioactive tracer moves through your bile ducts very slowly, that may indicate a blockage or obstruction.
- No radioactive tracer seen in the gallbladder. If the radioactive tracer isn't seen in your gallbladder, that may indicate inflammation (cholecystitis).
- Radioactive tracer detected in other areas. If the radioactive tracer is found outside of your biliary system, this may indicate a leak in a bile duct.
Your doctor will discuss your specific results with you.
- Society of Nuclear Medicine procedure guideline for hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Reston, Va.: Society of Nuclear Medicine. http://interactive.snm.org/docs/pg_ch11_0703.pdf. Accessed Oct. 3, 2008.
- General nuclear medicine. RadiologyInfo. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=gennuclear&bhcp=1. Accessed Oct. 7, 2008.
- Practice guideline for the performance of adult and pediatric hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Reston, Va.: American College of Radiology. http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/guidelines/nuc_med/hepatobiliary_scintigraphy.aspx. Accessed Oct. 3, 2008.
- Segerman D, et al. Radionuclide imaging: General principles. In: Adams A, et al. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/106899019-4/0/1611/0.html. Accessed Oct. 8, 2008.
- Mettler FA. Essentials of Radiology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/106899019-4/0/1276/0.html. Accessed Oct. 8, 2008.
