tauroselcholic acid (GE HealthCare)

Tauroselcholic acid (75Se), commercially known as SeHCAT, is a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical containing selenium-75, a gamma-emitting isotope, conjugated to a synthetic bile acid analogue. It is used to investigate enterohepatic circulation, measure bile acid pool loss, and diagnose bile acid malabsorption (BAM) or bile acid diarrhea (BAD) in patients presenting with chronic unexplained diarrhea, Crohn's disease, or post-surgical ileal resection. Administered orally as a capsule, tauroselcholic acid behaves physiologically like natural conjugated bile acids, being absorbed primarily in the terminal ileum via the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT/SLC10A2). Its retention in the body is measured over seven days using a gamma camera, where a retention of less than 15% indicates malabsorption. Originally developed by Amersham International (now part of GE Healthcare), SeHCAT is widely used in Europe and Canada but is not approved in the United States.

Brand names

SeHCAT

Other names

23-selena-25-homotaurocholic acid23-seleno-25-homotaurocholic acid75Se-homocholic acid-taurine75SeHCATSe-75-SehCATSe75-SehCATSe 75-SehCATselenium homocholic acid taurineselenium-75 selenohomocholic acid taurineselenium75 selenohomocholic acid taurineselenium 75 selenohomocholic acid taurineselenohomocholic acid taurinetauroselcholic (75Se) acidtauroselcholic acidtauroselcholic acid (75Se)tauroselcholic acid Se-75