Diagnosis

A hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan is a diagnostic imaging technique used to evaluate the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts for any abnormalities.

During a HIDA scan, a small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into a vein in the arm. This tracer enters the bloodstream and is absorbed by the liver’s bile-producing cells. It then moves with the bile into the gallbladder, flows through the bile ducts, and reaches the small intestine (Kersting-Sommerhoff et al., 1993, p. 86).

A gamma camera, a type of nuclear medicine scanner, captures the movement of the tracer as it travels through the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. The scanner generates detailed images to help diagnose any issues with the hepatobiliary system.
You’ll need more tests and scans to check for gallbladder cancer if the GP refers you to a specialist.

These tests can include:

• blood tests
• scans, like an ultrasound scan (sometimes from inside your body using an endoscope), CT scan, PET scan, MRI scan, or a type of X-ray called a cholangiography
• collecting a small sample of cells from the gallbladder (called a biopsy) to be checked for cancer
• a small operation to look inside your tummy, called a laparoscopy
• a test called an ERCP – find out more about ERCP from Cancer Research UK

Literature
1. Kersting-Sommerhoff, B., Helmberger, H., & Bautz, W. (1993). Radiologic diagnosis and staging of gallbladder and bile duct tumors. Endoscopy, 25(1), 86–91. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-1009130