HIDA Scan (Hepatobiliary Imaging)

A HIDA scan, also known as a hepatobiliary scan or a hepatobiliary scintigraphy, is an imaging procedure most often used to evaluate gallbladder function, but may also be used to diagnose gallbladder conditions like acute cholecystitis or other problems with the liver and bile ducts.¹ The scan monitors the flow of bile from the liver to the small intestine.²

To track bile flow, small amounts of a radioactive tracer are injected into a vein in your arm, most often via an IV line. The tracer moves through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is absorbed by bile-producing cells. A gamma camera (specialized nuclear medicine camera) records the flow of the bile as it moves through your body and generates computer images of the organs as the tracer travels through them.³

The tracers used in nuclear medicine use no more radiation than routine chest x-rays or CT scans.⁴

Before Your Scan

• You will most likely be asked to fast for four to six hours before your scan.
• You may have to change into a hospital gown.
• Be sure to follow all of your doctor’s instructions about medicines before your scan, especially if you take pain medicine derived from morphine.⁵

During Your Scan

• You will be asked to lay on a table while the tracer is injected.
• Depending on the purpose of your hepatobiliary scan, you may receive another injection to make your gallbladder contract or to make it more visible.
• You will need to hold still while the gamma camera collects images, which typically takes about an hour.
• If additional images are needed, you may be asked to repeat the scan within 24 hours of the original. ⁶

Hepatobiliary scans typically have very few side effects. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, might be pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Nuclear medicine scans are typically not performed on pregnant women to avoid risk to the baby.⁷

• Allergic reaction to injections
• Bruises at the injection site
• Small exposure to radiation

This scan is often used to evaluate how well your gallbladder is working, and diagnose conditions of the gallbladder, liver, and bile ducts. Some medical conditions or tests that may require a hepatobiliary scan include:⁹

• Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
• Bile duct obstruction
• Leaks or fistulas
• Bile duct abnormalities
• Assessment after liver transplant
• Assessment of gallbladder ejection fraction (rate at which the gallbladder releases bile)¹⁰

¹ Mayo Clinic Staff. “HIDA Scan.” Jan. 6, 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hida-scan/about/pac-20384701
^{2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} Cleveland Clinic. “HIDA Scan.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/17099-hida-scan
³ Mayo Clinic. “HIDA Scan.”
⁴ National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. “Nuclear Medicine.” Science Education. July 2016. https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/nuclear-medicine