Cholescintigraphy for diagnosis of bile leaks

Cholescintigraphy has been reported to demonstrate intra- and extrahepatic bile leaks only infrequently. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy we investigated in a prospective study cholescintigraphy in risk patients. Fourty-eight patients were studied 4-5 days after reconstruction of the choledochus (liver transplantation, hemihepatectomy etc). The scintigraphy was repeated if there was a suspicion of bile leak by clinical and other radiological findings. A bile leak was correctly identified in 14 of 16 patients. No false-positive scan was seen. From these figures a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specifity of 100% may be calculated. Cholescintigraphy has demonstrated in a prospective study bile leaks frequently. (Author)