A nuclear medicine gallbladder (HIDA) scan is a diagnostic procedure used to check the function and condition of the gallbladder. A HIDA scan can help determine if you have a form of gallbladder disease or if your gallbladder is functioning properly.

How Do I Prepare for the Exam?
You must have nothing to eat or drink after midnight on the night before your exam and until the procedure has been completed.

What Will the Procedure Be Like?
A HIDA scan requires an average of about 2 hours to complete. It may take longer if your gallbladder is not functioning properly. The procedure is performed by a technologist specializing in nuclear medicine technology. The technologist has completed a rigorous course in education and training and works under the supervision of a radiologist to help ensure the most accurate results from your examination.

Let the technologist know if you're pregnant or you think you might be.

After you arrive in the nuclear medicine department, an IV tube is placed into a vein in your arm. A special "tracer" drug that shows up on scans of the gallbladder is injected through the IV. Images of your abdomen are taken over a period of 45 to 60 minutes.

Once all imaging is complete, you may leave the hospital and return to your normal activities.