Your Definitive Guide to HIDA Scan in Navi Mumbai

Henotics Diagnostics is the leading choice for HIDA scans in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. We proudly serve patients from across the region, including Panvel, Vashi, Nerul, Belapur, and Taloja.

The Science & Medical Context of a HIDA Scan

A HIDA scan, or cholescintigraphy, is a functional test, unlike an ultrasound or CT scan which are anatomical. It doesn’t just show what your organs look like; it shows how they are working.

The test uses a radioactive tracer (Technetium-99m attached to an iminodiacetic acid compound). This tracer is injected into your bloodstream, where it is absorbed by your liver cells and then secreted into the bile, just like natural bile.

A special gamma camera tracks this tracer in real-time as it moves from your:

• Liver: To assess liver function.
• Bile Ducts: To check for blockages or leaks.
• Gallbladder: To see if it’s filling and emptying correctly.
• Small Intestine: To confirm the bile path is clear.

This allows us to diagnose conditions that an ultrasound might miss, such as a poorly functioning gallbladder (biliary dyskinesia) or a bile leak after surgery.

HIDA Scan Types and Descriptions

At Henotics Diagnostics, we perform several types of HIDA scans based on your doctor’s request:

Standard HIDA Scan:

Description: This is the baseline study. We track the tracer’s flow from the liver into the gallbladder and small intestine. It’s used to identify obstructions in the bile ducts or acute gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis) if the gallbladder doesn’t fill.

HIDA Scan with CCK (Gallbladder Ejection Fraction – GBEF):

Description: This is the most common and advanced type. After your gallbladder fills with the tracer, we administer a medication called Cholecystokinin (CCK) or a synthetic version (Sincalide). CCK causes your gallbladder to contract and empty. By measuring how much tracer is “ejected,” we can calculate the Gallbladder Ejection Fraction (GBEF). A low GBEF (typically <35-40%) indicates biliary dyskinesia, meaning your gallbladder isn’t squeezing properly.

HIDA Scan with Morphine:

Description: If your gallbladder doesn’t fill with tracer after 60-90 minutes, it can mean either acute cholecystitis (a sudden blockage) or chronic cholecystitis (a long-term issue). We may administer a small dose of morphine, which causes the Sphincter of Oddi to contract, gently forcing the tracer into the gallbladder if the cystic duct is open. This helps our radiologists make a definitive diagnosis.

Your HIDA Scan Procedure: A Step-by-Step Guide

We ensure you are comfortable and informed at every stage.

In Simple Terms:

1. Arrival: You’ll arrive at our Kharghar center after fasting for 4-6 hours.
2. The Injection: A small, safe radioactive tracer is injected into a vein in your arm. It feels just like a normal blood test.
3. The Scan: You’ll lie down comfortably on our imaging bed. A large “gamma camera” will be positioned above your abdomen. It does not touch you or make loud noises.
4. First Pictures: The camera takes pictures for about 60-90 minutes, tracking the tracer as it moves through your liver and fills your gallbladder.
5. Second Stage (if needed): For a GBEF scan, we will give you a second injection (CCK) slowly. This may cause a temporary feeling of cramping in your belly, which is normal. We then take more pictures for 30 minutes to see your gallbladder “squeeze.”
6. All Done: That’s it! You can go home, eat normally, and drive. The tracer leaves your body naturally within a day.

In Medical Terms:

1. Patient Preparation: NPO (fasting) for 4-6 hours. Opiate medications discontinued for 12-24 hours.
2. Radiopharmaceutical Admin: IV injection of 3-5 mCi of Technetium-99m labeled Mebrofenin or Disofenin.
3. Dynamic Acquisition (Hepatobiliary Phase): Patient is supine. Dynamic images (1-min/frame) are acquired over the right upper quadrant (RUQ) for 60 minutes.
4. Analysis: Time to hepatic uptake, biliary tree visualization, gallbladder visualization, and tracer entry into the duodenum is recorded.
5. Pharmacologic Intervention (as indicated):
   • GBEF Calculation: If gallbladder visualizes, Sincalide (CCK) is infused (0.02 mcg/kg) over 30-60 minutes. A post-CCK acquisition is performed. GBEF is calculated: [(Pre-CCK GB counts) - (Post-CCK GB counts)] / (Pre-CCK GB counts) * 100.
   • Acute Cholecystitis Protocol: If GB non-visualization at 60-90 mins, 0.04 mg/kg of morphine sulfate is administered IV. Imaging continues for 30 more minutes. Persistent non-visualization after morphine is highly specific for acute cholecystitis.

Patient Feedback & Testimonials

Beyond the Ultrasound: How Henotics’ Advanced HIDA Scans Pinpoint “Hidden” Gallbladder Disease

For months, you’ve had pain in your upper abdomen, bloating, and nausea after every meal. Your doctor orders an ultrasound, but the report comes back “normal.” The frustration is immense. This is a common story for patients across Navi Mumbai, and it’s where functional imaging at Henotics Diagnostics in Kharghar changes the game.

An ultrasound is great for finding structural problems like gallstones. But what if the problem is functional? What if your gallbladder looks fine but simply doesn’t work right?

This is the mystery a HIDA scan with GBEF is designed to solve.

At Henotics, we use this advanced nuclear medicine scan to watch the gallbladder in action. By measuring its “ejection fraction,” we can definitively diagnose biliary dyskinesia—a condition where a poorly functioning gallbladder causes real pain, even without stones.

Our hybrid SPECT/CT technology takes this a step further, fusing the functional HIDA data with a CT scan to create a 3D map of your anatomy. This allows our expert radiologists to see not just that there’s a problem, but exactly where it is. This precision is critical for guiding surgeons and ensuring you get the right treatment, preventing unnecessary procedures.

So if you’re stuck with unexplained abdominal pain, don’t stop at an ultrasound. A HIDA scan at Henotics might hold the answer you’ve been searching for.

Advanced Medical Details & Clinical Applications

While most HIDA scans are for gallbladder function, the test has other critical applications:

• Biliary Atresia in Newborns: In infants with jaundice, a HIDA scan (often with phenobarbital pre-treatment) is the gold-standard non-invasive test to differentiate neonatal hepatitis from biliary atresia (a surgical emergency).
• Post-Surgical Bile Leaks: HIDA is the most sensitive test to detect bile leaks after a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) or liver surgery. The tracer will be seen accumulating outside the normal biliary pathways.
• Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD): By using quantitative analysis (measuring the time it takes for the tracer to drain into the duodenum), a HIDA scan can help diagnose SOD, a complex pain syndrome.