CHOLESCINTIGRAPHY

TYPES

These are the types of cholecystitis that can benefit from a cholescintigraphy:

• Acute Cholecystitis

It is the cholelithiasis’ initial complication and the most usual cause of severe pain in the right upper quadrant. It usually occurs when gallstone clogs the cystic duct. Acute cholecystitis is conceivably serious due to the risk of complications.

• Chronic Cholecystitis

It is diagnosed if a sufficient percentage of bile combined with radiotracer does not go out of the gallbladder after cholecystokinin or a peptide hormone of the gastrointestinal system is in charge of promoting the digestion process of protein and fat.

SYMPTOMS

The cholelithiasis’s primary symptom is abrupt, intense pain in the upper right-hand side of the abdomen, which spreads toward the right shoulder. The affected part of the abdomen is usually very tight, and deep breathing can worsen the pain. Some people may experience other symptoms like:

• High temperature
• Abdominal bloating
• Loss of appetite
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Loose, light-colored stools
• Itching

DIAGNOSIS

If one experiences intense abdominal pain, a general practitioner will usually carry out a test called Murphy’s sign, where the patient will be instructed to breathe in deeply with the practitioner’s hand pressed against the abdomen just below the rib cage. The gallbladder will move downwards as the patient breathes in. If cholecystitis is existent, the patient will experience sharp pain as the gallbladder reaches the physician’s hand.

If the symptoms indicate acute cholecystitis, the doctor will refer the patient to the hospital immediately for further tests and medication, including:

• Blood Tests

Determines the amount of bilirubin in the blood, and helps assess how well the liver is functioning

• Ultrasound Scan

Used to assess for gallstones or other indications of a problem with the gallbladder, which uses high-frequency sound waves to generate an image of a part of the body’s inside.

Other scans like CT scan, X-ray, and MRI scan may also be performed to observe the gallbladder in more detail if there is any ambiguity about the diagnosis.

TREATMENT

Initial treatment will usually include fasting to remove the gallbladder’s strain, acquiring fluids through a drip directly into a vein to prevent dehydration, and taking medicine to alleviate the pain. If an infection is suspected, the patient may be advised to take antibiotics.

These usually need to go on for up to one week, either in the hospital or at home. After initial treatment, any gallstones that may have generated cholecystitis normally retreat into the gallbladder, and the inflammation will usually subside.