title: Estimation of ascitic fluid volume using 99Tcm labelled macroaggregated albumin.
abstract: We have assessed the usefulness of a radionuclide dilution method for estimation of ascitic fluid volume. 99Tc(m) macroaggregated albumin (10 MBq) was injected into the peritoneal fluid. Multiple samples were taken using a trocath peritoneal dialysis catheter over a 4-h period. Blood samples were taken at the same time and a 4-h urine collection was made during the study. At 4 h a controlled drainage of ascitic fluid, followed by suction drainage, was used and a total drained volume measured. For comparison, peritoneal volumes were measured from the radioactivity of peritoneal fluid activity samples using dilution techniques. The estimated peritoneal fluid volume using the radionuclide method was consistently higher than the drained volume. This was attributed to either a lack of uniform distribution of the activity in the peritoneal cavity by 4 h or early breakdown and absorption of activity from the peritoneal cavity. In two patients it was not possible to measure a volume due to poor distribution of the radionuclide in the peritoneal fluid. We found that in our group of patients the radionuclide dilution is of little value in estimating the peritoneal fluid volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Nuclear Medicine, City Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK. Alp.Notghi@cityhospbhm.wmids.nhs.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notghi
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kehoe
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Harding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011865:Radioisotope Dilution Technique; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin