Hepatobiliary imaging and the use of intravenous morphine

Thirty-one patients suspected of acute cholecystitis were studied prospectively using hepatobiliary imaging in conjunction with intravenous morphine. If persistent nonvisualization of the gallbladder occurred post-morphine, delayed 4 hour imaging was performed. Intravenous morphine correctly diagnosed acute cholecystitis in 94% of cases. Through the use of intravenous morphine, imaging time can be decreased from 4 to 1.5 hours.