Cholescintigraphic diagnosis of cholecystocolic fistula

The diagnosis of a cholecystocolic fistula has often presented a dilemma to the practicing physician. Routine imaging modalities to confirm this diagnosis have not proven extremely successful. The presence of a small fistulous tract from the gallbladder to the colon is often difficult to demonstrate radiographically. However, with the advent of the newer hepatobiliary radioisotopic scanning agents, the ability to visualize the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts as well as the presence of the intestinal activity of the radiotracers has improved considerably. The authors present a case of cholecystocolic fistula that was adequately demonstrated with a Tc-99m-PIPIDA hepatobiliary scan. This article is the first to report demonstration of this type of fistula with hepatobiliary scanning.