title: Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in management of bile leaks in patients with blunt abdominal trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) is a useful diagnostic tool in detecting the presence and site of bile leaks.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a retrospective analysis of HBS carried out in 35 patients with blunt abdominal trauma over a period of 5 years from 2001 to 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three of 35 patients with blunt abdominal trauma had localized bile leaks and were managed conservatively. The bile leak was found to have completely resolved in the follow-up HBS. Two patients did not show any evidence of bile leak. Remaining 10 of 35 patients with blunt abdominal trauma showed active bile leak and were subjected to surgical management. Follow-up scans in these patients showed resolution of bile leaks and patent bilioenteric pathway. Clinical management decisions based on scintigraphic evidence led to less invasive drainage procedures over time and shorter hospital stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study thus suggests that HBS facilitates rapid and precise diagnosis of bile leaks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. brmittal@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Bhagwant R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Hejjaji V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Sunil
authors.forename: Anish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Baljinder
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*