title: Quantitative evaluation of the hepatic functional reserve using technetium-99m DTPA-galactosyl human serum albumin before and after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.
abstract: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), a new therapeutic method, has been performed widely for the treatment of portal hypertension. TIPS produces a decrease in the portal blood flow to the hepatic parenchyma, which is considered to cause a reduction in hepatic functional reserve. To evaluate the changes in hepatic functional reserve after TIPS, we performed technetium-99m DTPA-galactosyl human serum algumin (99mTc-GSA) hepatic scintigraphy before and after TIPS in eight male patients, ranging in age from 54 to 72 years (mean 62.2 years). Two quantitative indices - blood clearance index (uptake ratio of the heart at 15 min to that at 3 min, HH15) and hepatic accumulation index (uptake ratio of the liver to the liver plus heart at 15 min, LHL15) - were calculated from the time-activity curves of the heart and liver. Early and late uptake constant indices (early and late KU) were also calculated from the time-activity curves of the heart and liver by means of Patlak plot. The values of HH15, LHL15 and late KU deteriorated after TIPS in all patients. Early KU (1-3 min) decreased by more than 55% in two patients who showed a poor prognosis and corresponded well with the status of the portosystemic shunt. It is concluded that 99mTc-GSA hepatic scintigraphy is a useful means of evaluating the degree to which hepatic function is compromised following TIPS. The post-TIPS alterations in HH15, LHL15 and late KU (5-10 min) reflect the changes in hepatic functional reserve, and early KU is a useful index for evaluating the degree of portosystemic shunt.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomiguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
chemical_list: D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C070561:technetium Tc 99m DTPA-galactosyl-human serum albumin; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate