Hepatobiliary scan is a nuclear medicine procedure that demonstrates gallbladder function. You will be injected with a small amount of radioactive tracer. While lying flat on the table, the camera will be positioned over your chest and abdomen. Periodic images will be taken. It is important that you lie as still as possible. Depending on your gallbladder function, this study can take anywhere between one and four hours.
Your physician may order a gallbladder emptying study. This procedure starts the same as the hepatobiliary scan. Then CCK, an enzyme, is given to stimulate your gallbladder to empty. You might experience some cramping or nausea. This should disappear within approximately 10 minutes. Additional images will be taken to see how your gallbladder contracts.
You will be asked to have nothing by mouth for 4 hours before the study and no pain medication on the day of the study.
