title: Assessing diffuse liver disease with the hepatic uptake rate of 99Tcm-colloids.
abstract: The hepatic uptake rate of sulphur or tin colloid was measured in the fasting state in patients who were later identified as belonging to one of three groups: normal, parenchymal liver disease or cirrhosis. Subsequent analysis showed a progressive decline in the hepatic uptake rate of tracer as the severity of hepatocellular damage increased. In particular, there was a positive correlation between the impairment of tracer uptake, and Childs' class A, B or C in the cirrhotic patients. In addition, a very low hepatic uptake rate of tracer was almost as good (80% accuracy) as Child's class C (83% accuracy) in identifying patients likely to die of hepatocellular problems within a year. When compared with needle biopsies or histology, the uptake rate usually proved equally accurate in indicating the severity of diffuse hepatocellular disease, and on occasions it was a better indicator of long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Auckland Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rutland
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Que
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D003102:Colloids; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013667:Technetium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D013667:Technetium