Functional diagnosis of biliary endoprostheses using hepatobiliary sequence scintigraphy

In 11 patients with biliary endoprosthesis, hepatobiliary scintigraphy with dimethyliminodiacetic acid (HIDA) was performed 16 times because of an increase in the serum bilirubin level. For the demonstration of dysfunction of the endoprosthesis, this method proved to have the same sensitivity as transhepatic cholangiography, which was performed as control examination. Therefore, hepatobiliary scintigraphy, a noninvasive and well-tolerated examination, can be recommended as a primary diagnostic tool in addition to ultrasonography for assessment of the drainage function of the biliary endoprosthesis.     

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy and sonography in early biliary obstruction

The authors examined 139 patients thought to have early, partial, or intermittent biliary obstruction, using sonography, hepatobiliary scintigraphy, and in selected cases contrast cholangiography. Of 125 patients with a well-established final diagnosis, sonography and scintigraphy disagreed in 29 (23%). Scintigraphy revealed early or low-grade obstruction in 13 patients who had no evidence of dilated ductules, while 7 patients with dilatation from prior stone passage or biliary surgery showed normal clearance. The authors conclude that in a preselected population in whom early or low-grade biliary obstruction may be present, disagreement between sonography and scintigraphy is not rare, and the absence of sonographically detectable dilatation does not exclude obstruction.     

~(99m)Tc-MIBI肝胆动态显像对先天性胆道闭锁的诊断价值

目的评价99m锝-甲氧基异丁基异腈(99mTc-MIBI)肝胆动态显像在先天性胆道闭锁(BA)诊断中的临床应用价值。方法 52例患儿静脉注射99mTc-MIBI后,用SPECT进行肝胆动态显像,并经手术病理和临床随访结果证实。结果在17例最终诊断为BA的患儿中,99mTc-MIBI肝胆显像全部检出,灵敏度、特异度和准确性分别为100%、80.9%、92.3%。结论 99mTc-MIBI肝胆动态显像是无创、安全、有效的检查方法,对于BA的诊断,有较高的临床应用价值。     

A case of biliary atresia and polysplenia. Evaluation by hepatobiliary scintigraphy

A 5-week old jaundiced female underwent hepatobiliary scintigraphy using technetium-99m disofenin. Early images suggested right-sided cardiac activity. A nearly symmetric, bilobed liver with left-sided predominance was discovered. No biliary ducts, gallbladder, or small bowel activity were demonstrated up to 24 hours post-injection. Laparotomy confirmed situs inversus, polysplenia, and extrahepatic biliary atresia.     

Combined common bile duct and gastric outlet obstruction demonstrated during hepatobiliary scintigraphy

A 64-year-old man presented with jaundice. Hepatobiliary imaging using 99mTc-DISIDA revealed complete hepatobiliary tract obstruction with a photopenic area corresponding to a dilated gallbladder and a large photopenic region corresponding to a distended stomach as a result of gastric outlet obstruction. At surgery, carcinoma of the head of the pancreas was found to be the cause of the combined common bile duct and gastric outlet obstruction.     

Classifying choledochal cysts using hepatobiliary scintigraphy

PURPOSE: This retrospective study was designed to classify choledochal cysts on the basis of the findings of hepatobiliary scintigraphy. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with choledochal cysts (15 female, 6 male; mean age, 20 years) proved on the findings of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or surgery and histopathologic analysis were included in the study. Two nuclear medicine physicians, blinded with regard to cholangiographic and operative details, were asked to review and to classify the type of choledochal cyst seen on the hepatobiliary scan. Later, scintigraphic results were compared with ERCP and surgical findings for a reference standard. RESULTS: The findings of hepatobiliary scintigraphy correlated with ERCP and surgical findings in 18 of 21 cases (86%). Scintiscans correctly identified all type 1 cysts (12/12). The sensitivity of scintigraphy in diagnosing type 4 cysts was 66% (6 of 9 cases). It underestimated the intrahepatic extent of disease in type 4a biliary cysts (37%). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy in diagnosing type 1 and 4 choledochal cysts.     

Bronchobiliary fistula detected with hepatobiliary scintigraphy

Bile leakage into the thoracic cavity is a rare complication of invasive cancer. A 12-year-old boy was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma of the right lobe of the liver invading the diaphragm. An extended right hepatectomy and total resection of the mass was performed, leaving a patchy tumoral invasion at the anterior diaphragmatic surface. Surgery was followed with a combined chemotherapy regimen. In the sixth postoperative month, he was readmitted with bilious expectoration. Tc-99m mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy revealed radiotracer accumulation in the right hemithorax. Bile leakage into the right thoracic cavity was diagnosed based on the hepatobiliary scintigraphic findings. For this patient; hepatobiliary scintigraphy, which is routinely used to visualize the liver and biliary tree, provided a noninvasive mean for the precise diagnosis of a bronchobiliary fistula. The fistula was then confirmed and corrected with surgery. The patient recovered uneventfully.     

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the assessment of biliary obstruction after hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis

We investigated the usefulness of hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) for diagnosing biliary obstruction after curative hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis. The study population consisted of 54 patients who underwent surgery for benign (n=18) or malignant (n=36) biliary disease. We analysed 68 technetium-99m DISIDA scintigrams which were performed at least 1 month after the surgery (median: 9 months). Final diagnosis was made by operative exploration, other invasive radiological studies or clinical and radiological follow-up for at least 6 months after the surgery. Diagnostic accuracy was analysed according to the pretest likelihood of biliary obstruction. There were two total and 15 segmental biliary obstructions. In patients with symptoms of biliary obstruction and abnormal liver function, HBS always allowed correct diagnosis (two instances of total obstruction, seven of segmental obstruction and seven of non-obstruction). Among the patients with non-specific symptoms or isolated elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase, HBS diagnosed segmental biliary obstruction in seven of the eight instances, and non-obstruction in 22 of 23 instances. There were no cases of biliary obstruction and no false-positive results of HBS in 21 instances with no clinical signs or symptoms of biliary obstruction. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of HBS for biliary obstruction were 94% (16/17) and 97% (50/51), respectively. In conclusion, HBS is a highly accurate modality for the diagnosis of segmental biliary obstruction during long-term follow-up after hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis. Received 1 August and in revised form 14 October 1999     

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the assessment of biliary obstruction after hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis

We investigated the usefulness of hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) for diagnosing biliary obstruction after curative hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis. The study population consisted of 54 patients who underwent surgery for benign (n=18) or malignant (n=36) biliary disease. We analysed 68 technetium-99m DISIDA scintigrams which were performed at least 1 month after the surgery (median: 9 months). Final diagnosis was made by operative exploration, other invasive radiological studies or clinical and radiological follow-up for at least 6 months after the surgery. Diagnostic accuracy was analysed according to the pretest likelihood of biliary obstruction. There were two total and 15 segmental biliary obstructions. In patients with symptoms of biliary obstruction and abnormal liver function, HBS always allowed correct diagnosis (two instances of total obstruction, seven of segmental obstruction and seven of non-obstruction). Among the patients with nonspecific symptoms or isolated elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase, HBS diagnosed segmental biliary obstruction in seven of the eight instances, and non-obstruction in 22 of 23 instances. There were no cases of biliary obstruction and no false-positive results of HBS in 21 instances with no clinical signs or symptoms of biliary obstruction. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of HBS for biliary obstruction were 94% (16/17) and 97% (50/51), respectively. In conclusion, HBS is a highly accurate modality for the diagnosis of segmental biliary obstruction during long-term follow-up after hepatic resection with biliary-enteric anastomosis.     

Biliary pleural fistula detected by hepatobiliary scintigraphy

A biliary pleural fistula is a rare complication secondary to trauma, infection, malignancy, biliary disease, malignancies, or percutaneous procedures. Its presence may be suggested by the development of a right pleural effusion in a patient with such history and can be confirmed with a hepatobiliary scan or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Patients are treated with antibiotics and the fistula usually spontaneously closes. If after 2 weeks the fistula persists, percutaneous drainage, sphincterotomy, or biliary stent placement can be performed to promote healing of the fistula. In complicated cases, open thoracic surgery or video-assisted thoracic surgery may be required.