Advantages of a fatty meal:
(1) relatively inexpensive
(2) available when injectiable cholecystokinin is not
(3) matches the clinical stimulus better
(4) results in a longer release of cholecystogogues
According to Stone et al, at least 10 grams of fat is needed to produce good emptying of the gallbladder.
Fatty meal for the protocol consists of both:
(1) a chocolate candy bar
(2) 200 mL of full-fat yogurt
This provided:
(1) 20 grams of fat
(2) 320 calories
(3) 16 grams carbohydrates
(4) 16 grams protein
Brief overview of protocol:
(1) 6 to 8 hour fast
(2) intravenous injection of 185 MBq technetium-99m HIDA (hepatic iminodiacetic acid)
(3) gamma camera capture of gallbladder filling while supine
(4) ingestion of the fatty meal while sitting
(5) capture of gallbladder emptying while supine
