title: Gallbladder ejection fraction: an accurate evaluation of symptomatic acalculous gallbladder disease.
abstract: The use of cholecystokinin stimulation during cholescintigraphy to calculate the gallbladder ejection fraction has been associated with variable clinical results as a preoperative indicator for chronic acalculous cholecystitis and postoperative relief of biliary symptoms. A series of 56 consecutive patients was analyzed to determine the accuracy of a decreased gallbladder ejection fraction as a preoperative indicator for acalculous cholecystitis. Each patient had symptoms compatible with biliary disease. Each patient had a decreased gallbladder ejection fraction calculated by cholescintigraphy. The gallbladder ejection fraction was calculated using a 30-minute intravenous infusion of cholecystokinin at a dose of 0.02 microg/kg during cholescintigraphy. There was a 100% correlation found in this series of patients between a decreased gallbladder ejection fraction during cholescintigraphy, preoperative symptoms of gallbladder disease, and postoperative pathology evidence of acute or chronic cholecystitis. Only 1 patient had less than a complete resolution of her preoperative symptomatology after laparoscopic removal of her gallbladder. This patient had irritable bowel disease, which was diagnosed postoperatively. Six symptomatic patients with a gallbladder ejection fraction between 35% and 60% were also treated by laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder with complete resolution of their preoperative symptomatology. The use of a 30-minute infusion of cholecystokinin at a dose of 0.02 microg/kg to calculate the gallbladder ejection fraction during cholescintigraphy is an accurate test to preoperatively predict acalculous cholecystitis and postoperative relief of biliary symptoms. The gallbladder ejection fraction of less than 35% was abnormal. Cholecystectomy may be considered for patients whose gallbladder ejection fractions were calculated to be between 35% and 60% if the patient's symptoms were classical for biliary disease and have been present for 1 year. The use of a 30-minute intravenous infusion of cholecystokinin at a dose of 0.02 microg/kg to calculate the gallbladder ejection fraction during cholescintigraphy is an accurate test to preoperatively predict acalculous cholecystitis and postoperative relief of biliary symptoms.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majeski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016473:Gallbladder Emptying / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D002766:Cholecystokinin