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FIGURE 2. Hepatic bile entry pattern into gallbladder. x-Axis shows time in minutes after 99mTc-HIDA injection. y-Axis shows gallbladder area as number of pixels per minute on left and its volume as counts per minute on right. Gallbladder volume curve shows uninterrupted upslope (curve for control not shown to avoid crowding), indicating continuous bile entry during fasting. Transit time (T) is noted (arrow) at intersection of pixel-per-minute line and extrapolation line passing through lowest number of pixels between 50 and 60 min, by which time radiolabeled hepatic bile usually fills gallbladder to its full volume. Note that variation in gallbladder area (due to respiratory movement) beyond 45 min is not accompanied by any reduction in bile volume (counts per minute).
