Differential diagnosis of jaundice by 99mTc-IDA hepatobiliary imaging.

The utility of 99mTc-IDA imaging in the differential diagnosis of jaundice was assessed. Although overall accuracy was 84%, this method is still inferior to the reported efficiency of ultrasonography and CT in making the correct diagnosis. Radionuclide imaging is a good alternative when these other modalities are not available and it functions well in an adjuvant capacity. The diagnostic limitations of 99mTc-dimethyl IDA imaging in cases of moderate to severe jaundice are largely overcome by the use of 99mTc-p-butyl IDA.