Gallbladder Scan: What To Think About

Content provided by Healthwise

What To Think About

• A gallbladder ultrasound test may also be done to find problems of the gallbladder. The ultrasound test provides more information about the shape and size of the gallbladder than a nuclear scan does. But the nuclear scan can provide information about how well the gallbladder is functioning and whether the bile ducts are blocked. For more information, see the medical test Abdominal Ultrasound.
• The results of a gallbladder scan should be interpreted along with your symptoms and the results of other tests, such as a physical examination and an ultrasound. Abnormal results from a gallbladder scan do not necessarily mean that the gallbladder needs to be removed.
• A test called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP) can be done to find blockage of the bile duct. For more information, see the medical test Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP).
• A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method called MR cholangiopancreatogram (MRCP) may also be done to find blockage of the bile duct.

Last updated:	October 24, 2008
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Myo Min Han, MD - Nuclear Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer