title: Detection of a suspected bronchobiliary fistula by hepatobiliary scintigraphy.
abstract: Bronchobiliary fistula (BBF) represents a rare but severe complication in patients affected by liver metastases. Although a clinical suspicion can arise when specific clinical signs, in particular biliptysis, are present, conventional imaging modalities often fail to confirm the diagnosis. We present a case of a patient affected by colon cancer with liver metastases previously treated with partial right-sided hepatectomy and multiple thermo-ablative treatments combined with chemotherapy, who manifested a septic fever associated with productive cough and biliptysis. Diagnosis of BBF was confirmed only by hepatobiliary scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-heptoiminodiacetic acid.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Division, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Via E. Chianesi, 53 00162 Rome, Italy. alessio.annovazzi@alice.it
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Annovazzi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viceconte
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciuto
authors.forename: Carlo L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Maini