Reproduction of postprandial symptoms with cholecystokinin injection: an indication for cholecystectomy without the presence of gallstones or an abnormal ejection fraction on quantitative cholescintigraphy?

Quantitative cholescintigraphy with cholecystokinin injection is commonly used to assess patients without evidence of cholelithiasis but with functional biliary pain. However, normal results may not always exclude the possibility of pathologic biliary disease. Retrospective review of prospectively collected data on eight patients with biliary colic, no evidence of cholelithiasis, a normal quantitative cholescintigraphy ejection fraction but with reproduction of their specific symptoms on cholecystokinin injection was performed. The mean ejection fraction was 66.2 per cent. All of these patients underwent cholecystectomy with complete resolution of their symptoms. Pathology was abnormal in all cases. Patients with symptoms suggestive of biliary disease with reproduction of these symptoms on cholecystokinin injection may benefit from cholecystectomy even in the absence of abnormally low ejection fraction on quantitative cholescintigraphy.