Physiologic considerations in radionuclide imaging of the extrahepatic biliary tract

Scintigraphy of the biliary system using 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals enables the clinician to assess kinetics of bile flow through the gallbladder, common bile duct, and sphincter of Oddi. We review some aspects of biliary tract physiology and imaging which may be of interest to the physicians ordering and performing these studies.