Biliary scintigraphy. The "hot rim" sign.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Gastroenterology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Acute cholecystitis is a common surgical emergency.
• Cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan) is a key diagnostic tool for acute cholecystitis.

Observation:

• A novel cholescintigraphic finding, termed the "hot rim" sign, was observed.
• This sign presents as increased radiotracer uptake around the gallbladder periphery.

Findings:

• The "hot rim" sign was identified in a patient with confirmed acute cholecystitis.
• The proposed etiology for this sign is localized inflammation within the gallbladder fossa.

Implications:

• The "hot rim" sign may serve as an additional imaging biomarker for acute cholecystitis.
• Further research is warranted to validate the sensitivity and specificity of this finding.