Comparison of accuracy of 99mTc-pyridoxylidene glutamate scanning with oral cholecystography and ultrasonography in diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.

A prospective study of 116 patients admitted as emergencies with a clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis or biliary colic has shown that the best investigation for confirming a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis is 99mTc-pyridoxylidene glutamate (PG) scanning. Its sensitivity is 99% and its specificity 86%, whereas those of oral cholecystography are 75% and 82%, respectively, and those of ultrasonography are 54% and 62%, respectively. However, estimation of plasma liver enzymes is essential to exclude acute hepatitis before proceeding to early cholecystectomy.