Hida Scan

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This information was reviewed and approved by Will Cook, ARRT, MA and Eric Yager, MHA, RT(R)(CT)(BD) (1/1/2021).

Your doctor has suggested you have a Hida Scan (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan) as part of the evaluation at National Jewish Health. This study shows the function of your liver and gall bladder. The Hida Scan will show how your liver concentrates bile into the gall bladder and spills it into the small intestine.

How do you get ready for the test?

  • Do not eat or drink 6 hours before the exam.

  • Do NOT FAST over 24 hours for this test

  • You will not change clothes.

  • This test takes over 1½ hours and imaging will be performed throughout the test.

  • Let the technologist know if you are pregnant or nursing.

 

What is done during the test?

The Nuclear Medicine Technologist will explain the Nuclear Medicine Hida Scan to you. Ask questions if you don't understand.

You will have an IV started. You will lie down on the imaging table and will be made comfortable. You will be given a small amount of a radioactive tracer in the IV that will be taken up by your liver. You will not feel any effect from this isotope (radioactive tracer). Images are taken at specific time points for 1 hour. A small IV drip will then be started to contract the gallbladder. This drip and concurrent imaging will take an additional 30 minutes.

At one hour, if the gall bladder is visible and tracer is seen in the small intestine a small amount of a pharmaceutical will be given in the IV. The medicine is cholecystokinin (CCK, Kinevac). The medicine dosage is determined by your weight. Imaging will continue for 32 minutes. Most patients feel no effects from the cholecystokinin.

If the gallbladder is not visualized by 2 hours the test will be terminated.

 

What should you do after the test?

You can resume normal activities after the Hida Scan.

 

How long will the test take?

This test takes about 2 hours to complete.

 

How do you get to your test?

Your appointment is in the Institute for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (Radiology). You will be directed where to go when you check in. If you have any questions you can contact Advanced Biomedical Imaging at 303.398.1611.

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