Gallbladder opacification on gadoxetate disodium-enhanced CT scan

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the radiologist’s ability to identify excreted gadoxetate disodium within the gallbladder on CT scan. Thirty three healthy adults underwent imaging of the liver during work-up for potential liver donation. Three patients had undergone prior cholecystectomy and therefore were excluded. Imaging consisted of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) and multiphase contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Two fellowship-trained abdominal imaging radiologists, who were blinded to the MRC images and the contrast agent used during MRC, independently reviewed the CT scans of the 30 patients that were included. The scans were evaluated for the presence or absence of abnormal hyperdensity within the gallbladder. Three patients did not receive intravenous gadoxetate disodium, 4 patients had their MRC after the CT scan, and 1 patient had the CT scans 5 days following the MRC. Twenty two patients had the CT scan within 24 h following the gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRC. Of the 22 patients expected to have gadolinium in the gallbladder, both reviewers identified hyperdensity in the same 20 patients (90%). Both reviewers reported no abnormal hyperdensity within the gallbladder in the remaining 10 patients. CT scan can reveal excreted gadoxetate disodium within the gallbladder lumen and therefore gadoxetate disodium-enhanced CT scan can potentially play a role in the evaluation of cystic duct patency and work-up of acute cholecystitis.