![]() This screening method can spot a blocked duct and acute inflammation, but not chronic gallbladder inflammation or gallstones. A small amount of radioactive dye is administered, and then a scanning device is used to track the dye as it moves into the gallbladder. Cholescintigraphy (also called DISIDA, HIDA scan, or gallbladder radionuclide scan).But there is a risk of complications, so the test is typically only given to people who are thought to be very likely to have stones blocking the bile ducts. This test can help spot gallstones or problems in the bile ducts of the gallbladder - it's considered the "gold standard" when it comes to diagnosing stones blocking bile ducts, and allows for removal (using a small basket-like device) during the test. This test uses an endoscope (a tube fitted with a tiny camera and light) that is inserted into the throat, down through the stomach, and into the small intestine. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).This test is very useful for diagnosing biliary tract (gallbladder and surrounding ducts) cancer, but may not be able to spot tiny stones or persistent infections. MRC uses regular MRI imaging technology plus a dye administered into the bile duct. Regular MRI, or another type called magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC), can help diagnose stones in the bile ducts. CT scans can help spot ruptures (tears in the gallbladder wall) and infections inside the gallbladder or its bile ducts. This imaging test uses a computer and X-rays to spot gallbladder problems, but isn't the most effective method of diagnosing gallstones. Some X-ray types require that a patient swallow a dye or have dye injected into the body so the X-ray can capture a clearer picture of the gallbladder. An abdominal X-ray can spot gas and some types of gallstones containing calcium. ![]() While very effective in diagnosing even very small gallstones, it can't always clearly diagnose cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). This is the most commonly used of the diagnostic tests for gallbladder problems. Imaging tests used to diagnose gallbladder problems include: Gallbladder Disease: Diagnostic Imaging TestsĪfter asking questions about your symptoms, doing a physical exam, and eliminating some causes from the list of possibilities, your doctor probably will perform some imaging tests to look at your gallbladder. Diverticulitis or diverticulosis - conditions affecting the lining of the colon.Gastroesophageal reflux or ulcers in the stomach.Pneumonia (when it involves the lower part of the right lung, it can be confused with gallbladder discomfort).Kidney stones or urinary tract infections.Your doctor will also ask questions to look for other possible causes of abdominal pain, like: He may ask for more details about the pain - what it feels like, when it happens, and where in your belly it hurts. If you have some combination of these symptoms, your doctor probably will start by asking detailed questions about them. Gallbladder Disease: Eliminating Other Causes Often, doctors will spot signs of gallbladder problems during diagnostic testing for some other symptom or health condition. If you don't have symptoms, that doesn’t mean your gallbladder is perfectly normal. A feeling of fullness in the abdomen, or excess gas.Fever, with shaking and chills, especially if occurring with, or after, abdominal pain.Pain after eating, particularly high-fat foods, or at night.Bouts of severe pain in the right upper abdomen and sometimes the right chest or back.Warning signs of gallbladder problems include: Your doctor isn't going to test you for something that you're not complaining about, so generally, the only time diagnostic tests for gallbladder problems are done is when a person experiences symptoms. Gallbladder Disease: When Diagnostic Tests Are Needed So how can gallbladder disease be diagnosed? But in many forms of gallbladder disease, a person may have no symptoms - up to 90 percent of people with gallstones, for example, don't have any symptoms at all. ![]() Gallbladder disease is the term used to describe many of these maladies that can plague the gallbladder. Gallstones are also a common gallbladder problem, and infection can occur if the gallbladder remains blocked by a gallstone or continues to be inflamed. The gallbladder - a sac located near the liver that serves as a storage space for bile - can be stricken with various problems, such as gallbladder cancer or inflammation (called cholecystitis).
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