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.
D L
DL
Bushnell
S B
SB
Perlman
M A
MA
Wilson
R E
RE
Polcyn
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