CHOLESCINTIGRAPHIC STUDY OF EFFECT OF SOMATOSTATIN ANALOG, OCTREOTIDE, ON BILE SECRETION AND GALLBLADDER EMPTYING IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of a single intravenous injection of the somatostatin analog octreotide on hepatic bile secretion and gallbladder emptying with a quantitative scintigra phic technique. Twelve healthy volunteers received, in a double-blind randomized fashion, either octreotide, 100 mug intravenously, or place bo. Ten minutes later, [Tc-99m]PBIDA was administered intravenously (5 0 muCi/kg) (time = 0) followed, 60 min later, by the ingestion of a st andardized fatty meal. In the liver area, the relative decrease per mi nute of tracer activity from the time of maximal activity to 60 min wa s significantly lower in the octreotide group (P = 0.02). In the gallb ladder area, after the fatty meal, the ratio of tracer activity at 60 and 90 min (A90/A60) was significantly (P = 0.01) higher in the octreo tide group. Our study demonstrates that octreotide slows down liver re lease of the radiopharmaceutical, probably reflecting decreased bile s ecretion, and inhibits postprandial gallbladder contraction.