Hida Scan

A Hida scan, also called a HIDA scan, is a test doctors use to check how well your liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts are working and if they’re okay. They do this to see if there’s a problem with your gallbladder, a blockage in your bile ducts, or if you have tummy pain that they can’t figure out why.

In a Hida scan, doctors put a special kind of substance called technetium-99m HIDA into your blood. This substance goes to your liver, then into your bile ducts, and finally into your gallbladder. They use a special camera to watch where this substance goes in your body to see how well your liver and bile ducts are working.

During the scan, they take a few pictures at different times. First, they take a picture to see where the substance is in your liver. Then, they give you medicine to make your gallbladder squeeze. After that, they take more pictures to see if your gallbladder can push out bile like it should.

A Hida scan is a safe test that doesn’t involve surgery and has very few risks from the special substance used. But it’s not a good idea for pregnant women or people with certain health problems to have this test.

In short, a Hida scan is useful for finding problems in the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts. It helps doctors decide on the best treatment and helps patients get better.