ULTRASONIC EVALUATION OF GALLBLADDER EMPTYING WITH CERULETIDE

In order to develop a practical and reproducible method to assess gall bladder function, gallbladder emptying was studied by ultrasound in 27 gallstone patients after i,m, administration of ceruletide (0.3 mu g/ kg), and the procedure was compared to oral cholecystography with fatt y meal, Maximal percent gallbladder contraction was reached in all pat ients 30 min after ceruletide, Maximal percent contractions were 47.5/-27.7 during ultrasound with ceruletide and 33.9+/-16.3 during oral c holecystography with fatty meal (p=0,03), A significant linear relatio nship was found between the results obtained with the two different pr ocedures (r=0,57; p=0,002), Serial ultrasound determinations of gallbl adder emptying mere performed in 16 patients, Day-to-day variation was below 20% in 11 subjects, and it ranged between 20 and 40% in 5 subje cts, Minor side effects were observed in 9 patients. Ultrasound determ ination of gallbladder emptying after ceruletide appears to be a pract ical and reliable method to assess gallbladder function.