Diagnosis of clinically unsuspected gallbladder perforation in an obese patient, by Tc-99m IDA cholescintigraphy.

A male Pickwickian syndrome patient was admitted to the hospital with sudden onset of abdominal pain. Physical examination was equivocal. Due to patient's ileus and morbid obesity (weight 450 lb), neither TCT scan nor ultrasound was possible. A Tc-99m PIPIDA hepatobiliary imaging study revealed intraperitoneal leakage of radioactive bile with collection of the activity in both abdominal gutters, indicating gallbladder rupture. Prompt surgery confirmed the diagnosis.