HEPATOBILIARY IMINODIACETIC ACID SCAN

Course overview

HEPATOBILIARY SCINTIGRAPHY IS A DIAGNOSTIC NUCLEAR MEDICINE PROCEDURE THAT USES RADIOTRACERS TO EVALUATE THE BILIARY SYSTEM AND INDIRECTLY, THE LIVER. THE RADIOTRACER USED IS IMINODIACETIC ACID (IDA) OR A VARIANT. THIS IS ADMINISTERED INTRAVENOUSLY, BOUND TO ALBUMIN, TRANSPORTED TO THE LIVER, AND EXCRETED INTO THE BILIARY SYSTEM. THE UTILITY OF HEPATOBILIARY IDA (HIDA) SCAN IS THAT THE RADIOTRACER FOLLOWS THE BILIRUBIN METABOLIC PATHWAY AND EXCRETION INTO THE BILE DUCTS AND THUS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN IDENTIFYING GALL BLADDER PATHOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE INDICATIONS FOR THE HEPATOBILIARY IMINODIACETIC ACID SCAN AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED GALL BLADDER DISEASE.