A nuclear imaging study used to visualize the gallbladder and bile ducts. A small amount of radioactive substance is administered intravenously and is concentrated by the gallbladder. A special scanner is used to make a screen image of the gallbladder and bile ducts from the concentrated radioactive material. Cholescintigraphy is useful for diagnosing acute cholecystitis and detecting blockages in the bile duct system.
Imaging of the biliary tree by means of a nuclear medicine scanning examination, a HIDA scan.
An alternative term for a gallbladder nuclear medicine scan is a cholescintigraphy.