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What test would demonstrate choledochlithiasis?
Ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound has an accuracy rate of 96%. Cholecystography (cholecystogram, gallbladder series, gallbladder x ray). This type of study shows how the gallbladder contracts after the patient has eaten a high-fat meal
What is a gallbladder scan and how is it done?
Usually an ultrasound is used to look at the gallbladder, but X-rays are sometimes used. An abdominal X-ray can spot some types of gallstones containing calcium. You might be looking for the word "radioscopy."
What is the purpose of a x ray?
This test, also known as an oral cholecystogram or OCG, is usually ordered to help physicians diagnose disorders of the gallbladder, such as gallstones and tumors, which show up as solid dark structures. It is performed to help in the.
What is the medical term meaning nuclear scan of the gallbladder?
The scan is usually performed in a hospital or clinical radiology department. The patient lies on an examination table while a small amount of radioactive dye is injected into a vein in the arm. This dye circulates through the blood and.
Oral cholecystogram?
DefinitionOral cholecystogram is an x-ray of the gallbladder, an organ in the right upper abdomen that stores bile. The x-ray is taken before the gallbladder releases bile.Alternative NamesX-ray - gallbladder; Gallbladder series; OCG; Gallbladder x-rayHow the test is performedThe test is done in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an x-ray technician. The night before the test, you swallow six tablets (one at a time). These tablets contain a special dye (contrast medium) that helps the gallbladder show up better on the images.At the hospital, you will lie on the x-ray table and will be asked to change position from time to time.The health care provider may look at your gallbladder with a fluoroscope, an x-ray that can be immediately seen on a TV-like monitor. Then you may be asked to drink a high-fat liquid that will cause the gallbladder to contract and release some bile. X-ray images will be taken at timed intervals.How to prepare for the testTell your doctor if you are pregnant or allergic to x-ray contrast material.The day before the test you will be asked to eat a high-fat meal (eggs, butter, milk, or fatty meats) at noon. That evening, you should eat a low-fat meal (fruits, vegetables, bread, tea or coffee, and only lean meat).Two hours after the low-fat meal, take the six tablets, one at a time. After taking the tablets, do not drink anything until after the test.How the test will feelThere is little or no discomfort from the test, although you will probably be hungry and thirsty. Some people experience side effects from the contrast material. There is a slight chance of developing diarrhea.Why the test is performedThe test is used to help diagnose disorders of the liver and gallbladder, especially gallstones. For most purposes, it has been replaced by other tests, such as abdominal ultrasound or gallbladder radionuclide scan.What abnormal results meanCholesterol polyps (noncancerous growths)GallstonesInflammationTumorsWhat the risks areThere is a chance of an allergic reaction to the contrast material.There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. Most experts feel that the risk is low compared with the benefits. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of x-rays.Special considerationsUltrasound and MRI examination of the gallbladder has largely replaced the use of oral cholecystogram, especially in patients with diseased livers. Another type of scan (a nuclear medicine HIDA scan) may be used to see how the gallbladder works.ReferencesAfdahl NH. Diseases of the gall bladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds.Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 159.
How do you cure a gullbladder infection?
What can be done at home?Recurrent painful attacks, if mild, can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers. Placing something warm on your stomach may be helpful, taking care not to scald the skin. The frequency of attacks may be reduced by a low-fat diet.How are gallstones diagnosed?Blood samples are often taken to test if the liver is working normally. The most accurate method of detecting stones is by using an ultrasound scanner. This technique is quick and painless.If the result of ultrasound scanning is inconclusive, other possible tests include a CT-scan and an MRI scan.CT stands for computerised tomography and is a method of taking X-ray 'slices' of the body.MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging and pictures of the internal organs can be obtained without X-rays. MRI is very useful for looking at the bile ducts.An oral cholecystogram. This is an X-ray examination with films taken over two days which will show if the gall bladder is still capable of contraction. This gives a good indication of the function of the gall bladder. If a gall bladder is diseased it may not function or contract properly and this will be seen using the oral cholecystogram.ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) - this is used if it is suspected that the patient has gallstones in the bile ducts.A small tube or endoscope is introduced down the gullet and into the duodenum under sedation. The bile duct is identified where it enters the duodenum and a very thin tube is placed into the duct. A dye is then injected into the duct and an X-ray taken to look for gallstones. Any gallstones detected may be removed at the same time which means that an operation may not always be necessary.How are gallstones treated?Gallstones which do not cause symptoms do not need any treatment. If a low-fat diet is not successful in controlling the symptoms some other form of treatment is required - this usually, but not always, means surgery.Some people are able to manage mild symptoms with a combination of a low-fat diet and painkillers to control their abdominal discomfort.Alternatives to surgeryDissolution therapy - sometimes a specific type of gallstone can be dissolved using medicines. If the patient is unfit or unwilling to have an operation, dissolution therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid (Urdox tablets) is occasionally possible although it takes a long time to dissolve a gallstone and it often comes back after the treatment is stopped.To be suitable for dissolution therapy the gallstones have to be small to medium in size and 'radiolucent', ie they do not show up on plain X-rays. Gallstones that do show up on plain X-rays do not dissolve. The gall bladder also needs to still show the ability to contract.Lithotripsy - single gallstones in the gall bladder or bile ducts can sometimes be 'shattered' by a technique called lithotripsy, which uses a 'beam' of sound energy. This method is commonly used for treating kidney stones but is only rarely useful for gallstones. The fragments of shattered stone will still need to be removed by ERCP or dissolution therapy.Surgery for gallstonesWhen an operation is required for gallstones in the gall bladder it is usual to remove the gall bladder and gallstones together - this is called cholecystectomy.If the gall bladder is left behind it is quite likely that further gall stones will form in it. There are two ways of removing the gall bladder and nowadays more than 90 per cent are removed by laparoscopic or keyhole surgery.This involves making four small cuts less than 1cm long in the abdomen and the use of a tiny camera inserted though one of these cuts to see the gall bladder.Other instruments are placed in the abdomen through the other cuts. If the operation is successful most patients are able to go home the day after surgery and return to normal everyday activities within two weeks.In some cases laparoscopic surgery is considered too dangerous or too difficult and it is then necessary to do a traditional or 'open' cholecystectomy. This involves making a cut in the abdomen between 9 and 18cm long. The patient will usually need to stay in hospital for at least five days and will not be able to return to work for six to eight weeks.Will the patient notice any difference after surgery?After the gall bladder has been removed most people will be aware that their pain has completely disappeared and they no longer need to avoid fatty food.Complications following gallbladder surgery are very rare and there are usually no long-term effects from having a gall bladder removed http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/gallbladderdisease.htm What can be done at home?Recurrent painful attacks, if mild, can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers. Placing something warm on your stomach may be helpful, taking care not to scald the skin. The frequency of attacks may be reduced by a low-fat diet.How are gallstones diagnosed?Blood samples are often taken to test if the liver is working normally. The most accurate method of detecting stones is by using an ultrasound scanner. This technique is quick and painless.If the result of ultrasound scanning is inconclusive, other possible tests include a CT-scan and an MRI scan.CT stands for computerised tomography and is a method of taking X-ray 'slices' of the body.MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging and pictures of the internal organs can be obtained without X-rays. MRI is very useful for looking at the bile ducts.An oral cholecystogram. This is an X-ray examination with films taken over two days which will show if the gall bladder is still capable of contraction. This gives a good indication of the function of the gall bladder. If a gall bladder is diseased it may not function or contract properly and this will be seen using the oral cholecystogram.ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) - this is used if it is suspected that the patient has gallstones in the bile ducts.A small tube or endoscope is introduced down the gullet and into the duodenum under sedation. The bile duct is identified where it enters the duodenum and a very thin tube is placed into the duct. A dye is then injected into the duct and an X-ray taken to look for gallstones. Any gallstones detected may be removed at the same time which means that an operation may not always be necessary.How are gallstones treated?Gallstones which do not cause symptoms do not need any treatment. If a low-fat diet is not successful in controlling the symptoms some other form of treatment is required - this usually, but not always, means surgery.Some people are able to manage mild symptoms with a combination of a low-fat diet and painkillers to control their abdominal discomfort.Alternatives to surgeryDissolution therapy - sometimes a specific type of gallstone can be dissolved using medicines. If the patient is unfit or unwilling to have an operation, dissolution therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid (Urdox tablets) is occasionally possible although it takes a long time to dissolve a gallstone and it often comes back after the treatment is stopped.To be suitable for dissolution therapy the gallstones have to be small to medium in size and 'radiolucent', ie they do not show up on plain X-rays. Gallstones that do show up on plain X-rays do not dissolve. The gall bladder also needs to still show the ability to contract.Lithotripsy - single gallstones in the gall bladder or bile ducts can sometimes be 'shattered' by a technique called lithotripsy, which uses a 'beam' of sound energy. This method is commonly used for treating kidney stones but is only rarely useful for gallstones. The fragments of shattered stone will still need to be removed by ERCP or dissolution therapy.Surgery for gallstonesWhen an operation is required for gallstones in the gall bladder it is usual to remove the gall bladder and gallstones together - this is called cholecystectomy.If the gall bladder is left behind it is quite likely that further gall stones will form in it. There are two ways of removing the gall bladder and nowadays more than 90 per cent are removed by laparoscopic or keyhole surgery.This involves making four small cuts less than 1cm long in the abdomen and the use of a tiny camera inserted though one of these cuts to see the gall bladder.Other instruments are placed in the abdomen through the other cuts. If the operation is successful most patients are able to go home the day after surgery and return to normal everyday activities within two weeks.In some cases laparoscopic surgery is considered too dangerous or too difficult and it is then necessary to do a traditional or 'open' cholecystectomy. This involves making a cut in the abdomen between 9 and 18cm long. The patient will usually need to stay in hospital for at least five days and will not be able to return to work for six to eight weeks.Will the patient notice any difference after surgery?After the gall bladder has been removed most people will be aware that their pain has completely disappeared and they no longer need to avoid fatty food.Complications following gallbladder surgery are very rare and there are usually no long-term effects from having a gall bladder removed http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/gallbladderdisease.htm
