gallbladder scan

Hello Lily
Your scan is probably called an HIDA scan with cck. It takes approximately two hours. The nuclear medicine department starts an IV with a radioactive tracer that is read by the machine as it slowly goes to and through the GB. The cck is injected into the IV to cause the GB to contract so they can see if it is working properly. They usually tell you to lie still. They also give you some dietary instructions such as how many hours no food before the test. It is my understanding that this is important to follow so that test will be accurate. Hope you have a good test. It has been told to me recently that there is a worldwide shortage of cck. It took us 3 months and finally had to change to a hospital for the cck as they are supplied first. The free standing units haven't had cck for over a year. ( I don't know where you are at.). Kindest regards.

Lily,

I just had a HIDA scan last Friday. This procedure tests how well your gallbladder is functioning. Polpys, growths, etc cannot be discovered by this scan....only function. As previously stated, CCK is hard to come by so my technician gave me an Ensure to drink between tests. Here was my experience with this procedure.

The test is divided into two segments. Segment 1:  I was asked to lie down while I was given an injection with the nuclear material. A machine (similiar to an MRI but does not engulf you) was placed over my chest and abdomen region. I had to lie still for an hour while my liver absorbed the nuclear material. A camera was taking pictures every minute.

Segment 2: After an hour, I was given an Ensure drink since we did not have any CCK and was told to lie back down on the table for another 30 minutes. During this 30 minutes, the machine is taking a picture of your gallbladder every minute to see if it contracts. At the end of the test, the techinician was kind enough to show me my results (65% function).

Hope you have a safe and productive procedure.

v/r

Rob

Lobstahguy,

Did you have the procedure done? What was your results?

Thanks so much for all your replies. I also would like to know what it is like having the IV material going through your veins. My doctor said the first scan would be to see if there were gall stones. If no stones then the cck and that is the bit I am apprehensive about. Did you feel anything and do you have to lie very flat? I am a bit of a control freak and hate to have any control taken out of my hands hence the reason I have anxiety. They said not to eat or drink anything after midnight and the appointment is at 7:30am I am going to be parched by the time it is finished at around 9:30am
Thanks Lily

Symptoms I have been having are nausea burning feeling off balance and dizzy. I haven't been really well in a month or more. I have taken nexium 40mg for a long time and my first thought was the nexium wasn't working. My GP told me that nexium can cause the very symptoms it is trying to cure and gave me Famotidine. I just switched to it and after the 3rd day I was so sick I almost went to the emergency room. I have since learned from this forum that it is disasterous to just switch and have to do it slowly. I am still having some symptoms but have not been so bad I am taking Prilosec 20mgs and want to get off the whole lot of PPI's asap but can't go too fast.
Thanks for the reassurance about the test I always freak out when it is anything to do with doctors and tests I am petrified.
lily

Lily,

I did not even know when the tech inserted the needle into my arm. This one of the easiest medical procedures I have ever experienced. Absolutely no pain at all. I had absolutely zero reaction to the nuclear injection. The tech was kind enough to give me the results immediately after the procedure......I was so grateful. I wish you well on your journey to diagnosis and recovery! I am still working my way through diagnosis.