Use of morphine in cholescintigraphy for obstructive cholecystitis

Conference · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Nucl. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5975615

Kim, E E; Nguyen, M; Pjura, G; Pollack, M; Gobuty, A

Non-visualization of the gallbladder (GB) during the first hour of cholescintigraphy is observed in cystic duct obstruction (e.g. in acute cholecystitis) but may also occur in chronic cholecystitis, hepatocellular disease, alcoholism and prolonged total parenteral nutrition. Low dose morphine is shown to improve the specificity of the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (from 85% to 100%) with no loss in sensitivity (98%) at a small cost in terms of additional study time. The authors reviewed 27 selected cholescintigraphic examinations augmented by intravenous (IV) morphine (0.04 mg/Kg). Of the 16 cases with persistent nonvisualization of the GB, ultrasound revealed gallstones in 5 cases, sludge in 4, acalculous cholecystitis in 3, one distended GB, one contracted GB and 2 normal GB's. Of the 4 patients taken to surgery, one with gallstones and one with acalculous cholecystitis were confirmed to have acute cholecystitis while another with gallstones had chronic cholecystitis and the final patient, who was sonographically normal, presented a single common duct stone. The authors conclude that the use of IV morphine is an effective adjunct to cholescintigraphy in the evaluation of gallbladder disease, especially when visualization post morphine rules out acute cholecystitis.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Radiology, The Univ. of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX
• OSTI ID: 5975615
• Report Number(s): CONF-850611-; TRN: 87-039230
• Journal Information: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Vol. 26:5; Conference: 32. annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Jun 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
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