Gallbladder Dynamics Induced by a Fatty Meal in Normal Subjects and Patients with Gallstones: Concise Communication

• Published in: The Journal of nuclear medicine (1978) Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 21 - 24
• Main Authors: Bobba, V. R, Krishnamurthy, G. T, Kingston, E, Turner, F. E, Brown, P. H, Langrell, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Soc Nuclear Med 01-01-1984
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bile - secretion; Cholelithiasis - physiopathology; Computers; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Gallbladder - diagnostic imaging; Gallbladder - physiology; Gallbladder - physiopathology; Humans; Imino Acids; Kinetics; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Contraction; Radionuclide Imaging; Statistics as Topic; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Technetium Tc 99m Lidofenin
• ISSN: 0161-5505; 1535-5667

A study was undertaken to establish the pattern of gallbladder emptying in normal subjects and in patients with gallstones, using a fatty meal as stimulus to release endogenous cholecystokinin. The time from meal ingestion to beginning of gallbladder emptying (latent period), the total duration of emptying (ejection period), degree of emptying (ejection fraction), and the rate of emptying (ejection fraction/ejection period) were measured noninvasively by a nongeometric scintigraphic technique. The mean latent period and ejection rate were similar in normal subjects and patients with gallstones, but the mean ejection period and ejection fraction were significantly reduced in the patients. This study suggests that for an identical stimulus, the gallbladder in cholelithiasis begins to empty at the normal time but empties for a shorter duration; the result is a reduction of ejection fraction but not of ejection rate.