Objective: To observe characteristics of migration of 99mTcO4 in the Gallbladder Channel of Foot-Shaoyang and effect of acupuncture in the patient with chronic cholecystitis.

Methods: Before acupuncture: The patient was asked to take a left lateral recumbent position with right lower limb stretching out. Radioactive 57Co resource was placed on Waiqiu (GB36), Yanglingquan (SP9), and Zhongdu (LR6) on the right side of the body and then 0.4ml of 99mTcO4 was injected subcutaneously into Xuanzhong (GB39) point on the same side, followed by observation of the trace of the nucleus. Observation of acupuncture: Before acupuncture, 57Co resource was placed on Waiqiu (GB 36), Yanglingquan (SP 9) and Zhongdu (LR 6). And then acupuncture stimulation was given at Qiuxu (GB40), Xiaxi (GB43) on both sides. 5 minutes later, 0.1ml of 99mTcO4 was injected into Xuanzhong (GB 39) and its trace was observed.

Results: 20 cases were observed. Before and after acupuncture the trace of the nucleus in the Gallbladder Channel showed concentric migration, basically travelling along the course of classical Gallbladder Channel of the Foot-Shaoyang. When the migration course was overlapped with that of 57Co resourse, it will be regarded as coincident. Of the signed 6 points, 47 points was coincident with the classica1 acupoints, with the coincidental rate being 78.3%. After acupuncture the coincident rate increased by 85% (P<0.05). Most of the trace showed a line going up, and fewer of the traces (9 cases: showed branches in the middle of the course, or deviation from the Channel, or travelling along the Channel route with no full field of vision. After acupuncture, these changes were improved in 7 cases. After acupuncture of Qiuxu (GB40) and Xiaxi (GB43), the latency of the nucleus trace was obviously shortened compared with that before acupuncture, local removing rate increased, the passing duration was shortened and the migration speed was accelerated significantly or very significantly (P<0.05.P<0.01).

By Zhou Zhanging, Liu Xinlian, Huang Guofeng Tian Jiahe