Perforation of the gallbladder diagnosed preoperatively.

A 69-year-old white male was admitted to the hospital for right upper quadrant pain, fever, and vomiting. Acute cholecystitis was not thought to be present because of a negative ultrasonogram and oral cholecystogram. A 99mTc-PIPIDA hepatobiliary study showed definite evidence of gallbladder perforation, with pockets of radiolabeled bile in the abdomen. Immediate surgery confirmed the scan diagnosis. In patients who are at high risk for gallbladder perforation the technetium-99m-labeled iminodiacetic acid hepatobiliary scan should be considered as a first procedure to rule out acute cholecystitis and possible gallbladder perforation.