Ultrasound and radionuclide biliary scanning in acute pediatric abdominal pain.

Seven pediatric patients (ages 2-14) who presented with acute abdominal symptomatology and an abnormal cholecystosonogram are reviewed. Etiologies of the abnormal sonograms included: hepatitis (3 of 7), acalculous cholecystitis (1 of 7), calculous cholecystitis (1 of 7), cholangitis with associated cholecystitis (1 of 7), and chronic active hepatitis with low serum albumin (1 of 7). The combined use of the sonogram and the radionuclide biliary scan is helpful in predicting and distinguishing between cases of cholecystitis and uncomplicated hepatitis.