tauroselcholic acid at a glance
Type
Diagnostic radiopharmaceutical and bile acid analogue
Main role
Investigates bile acid malabsorption and bile acid pool loss
Administration
Hard gelatin capsule swallowed with water while sitting or standing
Important preparation
Tell the nuclear medicine team about pregnancy, breastfeeding and all current medicines
What is tauroselcholic acid used for?
UK-licensed diagnostic uses include:
Investigating bile acid malabsorption and measuring bile acid pool loss
Assessing ileal function
Investigating inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhoea
Studying enterohepatic circulation
How does tauroselcholic acid work?
Tauroselcholic acid behaves like naturally occurring conjugated bile acids. Its selenium-75 label lets a gamma camera measure how much remains in the body. Reduced retention suggests bile acids are being lost rather than normally reabsorbed in the terminal ileum.
How to take tauroselcholic acid
The capsule is given in a designated clinical setting. Swallow it with water while sitting or standing. Follow the nuclear medicine department's instructions about food and regular medicines.
Tell staff beforehand if you may be pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Tell staff if you have difficulty swallowing capsules.
Do not stop prescribed medicines yourself; the department will advise if any need temporary interruption.
tauroselcholic acid side effects
Get urgent medical advice
- Hypersensitivity, including a possible severe allergic reaction; frequency is unknown.
- Ionising radiation exposure carries a low long-term risk rather than causing an immediate symptom.
tauroselcholic acid in pregnancy
The test uses ionising radiation and there are no human pregnancy safety data. Tell the department if you are pregnant, could be pregnant or have missed a period. During pregnancy, it should be used only when essential and the expected benefit clearly outweighs fetal risk.
tauroselcholic acid while breastfeeding
Tell the nuclear medicine team before the test. They should consider whether it can be delayed. If it proceeds, breastfeeding must be interrupted briefly and expressed milk discarded as directed by the department before feeding resumes.
tauroselcholic acid interactions
Some medicines can alter the reliability of the investigation. Follow instructions from the nuclear medicine team rather than stopping treatment yourself.
Bile acid sequestrants, including cholestyramine and colesevelam
They can bind or alter the tracer and interfere with results. The clinical team may arrange temporary interruption around the investigation.
Ursodeoxycholic acid
It can alter ileal bile acid absorption and may affect tracer retention; tell the nuclear medicine team if you take it.
Common questions about tauroselcholic acid
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is tauroselcholic acid a treatment for diarrhoea?
No. It is a diagnostic tracer used to investigate whether poor bile acid reabsorption may be contributing to diarrhoea.
What does a tauroselcholic acid scan measure?
It measures retention or loss of a radiolabelled bile acid analogue as it circulates between the intestine and liver.
Why is tauroselcholic acid called SeHCAT?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.