Student Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Abstract:
Background: Gallbladder (GB) sludge has been proposed to be related to decreased GB motility and induce cholestasis in dogs. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is known as a non-invasive diagnostic method for assessing gallbladder function and cholestasis, but it has not been studied in dogs with biliary sludge. Hypothesis/objectives: This study aimed to quantitatively compare GB motility and cholestasis in dogs with GB sludge to control dogs using 99mTc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Animals: Sixteen healthy controls and ten dogs with either mobile or immobile biliary sludge were prospectively enrolled.
Methods: All dogs received 2 to 3 millicurie of 99mTc-mebrofenin intravenously, followed by dynamic imaging for 10 minutes and static imaging at 30, 45, and 60 minutes. After the acquisition of 60-minute images, dogs were fed high fat diet and additional images were taken 30- and 60-minutes post-meal.
Results: Dogs with immobile biliary sludge had significantly lower EF30 (%) (mean ± SD: 24.39 ± 20.08; P = 0.048) and EF60 (41.06 ± 18.82; P = 0.002) compared with controls (EF30, 50.16 ± 19.22; EF60, 71.47±14.43). The immobile sludge group also had significantly delayed Tmax (9.36 ± 1.86; P = 0.018) and T1/2 (median [range]: 12.20 [12-45]; P = 0.028), which demonstrates hepatic clearance, compared to the control (Tmax, 5.22 ± 2.26; T1/2, 10.50 [6-15]). Conclusions and clinical importance: This is the first study to quantitatively demonstrate decreased gallbladder ejection fraction and hepatic clearance using hepatobiliary scintigraphy in dogs with immobile sludge.
