Evaluation of gallbladder emptying in patients with chronic liver disease by 99mTc-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy.

Gallbladder emptying after intramuscular injection of cerulein was investigated by 99mTc-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy in 23 patients with biliary disease, 55 patients with chronic liver disease, and 21 normal controls. The mean gallbladder ejection fraction in patients with gallstones and liver cirrhosis was significantly reduced compared with normal controls. (gallstones: 56.3 +/- 21.3%, LC with gallstones: 50.8 +/- 29.6%, LC without gallstones: 55.9 +/- 26.7%, vs. normal controls: 74.4 +/- 12.9%, p less than 0.01). The mechanism for sluggish gallbladder emptying in liver cirrhosis is unknown, however impaired emptying with bile stasis provides a potential pathophysiologic basis for the high frequency of pigment stones.