Abdominal Pain. Ultrasound Normal. Blood Test Normal. Is There Any Value In Running A HIDA Scan?

Posted on Fri, 12 Apr 2013

Question: Hi I am a 43 yr old woman I have been having a pain in my lower right abdomen since mid january the pain is about 3" above my hip just under my ribs close to my side. It hurts a good bit when you push on the right spot. I have had an abdominal ultrasound (liver - right size, kidneys,gall bladder, pancreas, aorta). The ultrasound all came back normal. I also had some blood tests run this is what the dr said ------Liver panel normal, no diabetes,blood count normal, no h pylori, no mono, no anemia, no leukemia, blood count normal, sodium and potassium levels ok.
The doctor said that the only thing they had to do next was run a HIDA scan to check out the gallbladder in more detail. Do you think that there is any value to running a HIDA scan?? After all I have been reading I am worried that I could still have something wrong with my liver. Could there still be something wrong with my liver even with the good test results? Also what further tests could be run on the liver? is it possible that the pain is caused by an ulcer or other intestinal problem in that location?

Any other advice on how to go forward diagnosing the problem?

Thanks

Answered by Dr. Venkat Sivayogi (1 hour later)

Hello,

Thanks for your query.

I am writing down the answers for your questions as below,

First question is about any value of HIDA scan?
Yes of course it has got significance to rule out any liver, bile ducts or gallbladder problems. HIDA scan (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan) is used to track the production and flow of bile from your liver to small intestine. So it gives the clear picture of liver, bile ducts and gall bladder.

Your second question is about any other tests that can be done for your liver?
As your consulting doctor has already ran all the liver function tests and they came normal. The other tests what exactly suits for your clinical condition should be decided by your treating physician. So you discuss with him.

Your third question is about the possibility of any ulcer causing that pain?
Most of the times peptic ulcer pain is located in the central epigastric region not in the lower right side. So we can exclude the possibility of this. Any way for your clarification you discuss it with your treating physician and plan upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Other possibilities of causing pain in your case include spasmodic pain of abdominal musculature or from intestinal smooth muscles.

Hope, I have cleared your doubts,

If you need any further clarification write us back,

Regards,
DR.SIVAYOGI

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T