PIPIDA scan diagnosis of traumatic rupture of the gallbladder

Eighteen days after injury, a patient was evaluated for bilious ascites with a 99mTc-PIPIDA (paraisopropyliminodiacetic acid) scan. A ruptured gallbladder was shown, and this finding was confirmed at exploration. Radionuclide scanning offers a sensitive, non-invasive approach for delineating disruption of the biliary tract, and should be considered when such a defect is suspected.