A gall bladder scan is done to evaluate how the gallbladder functions. It is ordered when a patient complains of upper right quadrant abdominal pain or is jaundiced. Patients typically undergo an ultrasound initially to see if there are structural problems within the gallbladder. If the test is normal, a functional, hepatobiliary scan can provide a more in-depth study. The exam can determine if there is a blockage in the bile ducts that connect the liver to the gallbladder and small intestines. The test shows, through use of a gamma camera, how the radioactive agent moves through the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and small intestines. 

A gall bladder scan is done to evaluate how the gallbladder functions. It is ordered when a patient complains of upper right quadrant abdominal pain or is jaundiced. Patients typically undergo an ultrasound initially to see if there are structural problems within the gallbladder. If the test is normal, a functional, hepatobiliary scan can provide a more in-depth study. The exam can determine if there is a blockage in the bile ducts that connect the liver to the gallbladder and small intestines. The test shows, through use of a gamma camera, how the radioactive agent moves through the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and small intestines.