I got a hida scan of my gallbladder done which reported anef of 12%. the abd ultrasound reported no gallstones. is the chronic burping and pressure (poking) under my right rib cage caused by the ef?

It May Be: A small subset of people have gallbladder dysfunction in the absence of gallstones, called chronic acalculous cholecystitis. The symptoms are identical to those caused by stones--biliary colic. The diagnosis is established by a reduced gallbladder ejection fraction, as measured by a cck-hida scan. However, this test has a 25% false-positive rate, meaning we cannot rely on this test alone.

Probably yes: A normal gallbladder ejection fraction on a hida scan should be more than 40%. At 12%, this means that you have a dyskinesia of your gallbladder which can give the type of symptoms you are reporting. You should consult your doctor and discuss the possibility of surgically removing your gallbladder, even if there are no gallstones, especially if all other tests are normal. Good luck.

Dyskinesia: You describe gallbladder disease symptoms. Gallstones are the most common cause but a gallbladder that doesn't empty properly when stimulated can cause identical symptoms. Low ejection fraction is diagnostic of dyskinesia. The only additional information that would have clinched the diagnosis is if cck injection at the time of the study reproduced symptoms. Cholecystectomy should help.