The rim sign: association with acute cholecystitis.
In a retrospective analysis of 218 hepatobiliary studies in patients clinically suspected of acute cholecystitis, a rim of increased hepatic activity adjacent to the gallbladder fossa (the "rim sign") has been evaluated as a scintigraphic predictor of confirmed acute cholecystitis. Of 28 cases with pathologic confirmation of acute cholecystitis in this series, 17 (60%) demonstrated this sign. When associated with nonvisualization of the gallbladder at 1 hr, the positive predictive value of this photon-intense rim for acute cholecystitis was 94%. When the rim sign was absent, the positive predictive value of nonvisualization of the gallbladder at 1 hr for acute cholecystitis was only 36%. As this sign was always seen during the first hour postinjection, it can, when associated with nonvisualization, reduce the time required for completion of an hepatobiliary examination in suspected acute cholecystitis.
Bushnell
D L
DL
Perlman
S B
SB
Wilson
M A
MA
Polcyn
R E
RE
D000208:Acute Disease; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005734:Gangrene; D006801:Humans; D007098:Imino Acids; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013667:Technetium; D019785:Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin
D007098:Imino Acids; D013667:Technetium; D019785:Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin