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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A HIDA scan is an imaging procedure that helps track the production and flow of bile from your liver to your small intestine. Bile is a fluid produced by your liver that helps your digestive system break down fats in the foods you eat.
A HIDA scan, which stands for hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan, creates pictures of your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and small intestine. Cholescintigraphy, hepatobiliary scintigraphy and hepatobiliary scan are alternative names for HIDA scan.
A HIDA scan is a type of imaging study called a nuclear medicine scan. This means the HIDA scan uses a radioactive chemical, or tracer, that helps highlight certain organs on the scan.
- The SNM procedure guideline for hepatobiliary scintigraphy 4.0. Reston, Va.: Society of Nuclear Medicine. http://interactive.snm.org/docs/Hepatobiliary_Scintigraphy_V4.0.pdf. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- General nuclear medicine. RadiologyInfo.org. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=gennuclear&bhcp=1. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Practice guideline for the performance of adult and pediatric hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Reston, Va.: American College of Radiology. http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/guidelines/nuc_med/hepatobiliary_scintigraphy.aspx. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Segerman D, et al. Radionuclide imaging: General principles. In: Adams A, et al. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/106899019-4/0/1611/0.html. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Mettler FA. Essentials of Radiology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/106899019-4/0/1276/0.html. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
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