Perfusion imaging of pancreas allografts using technetium-99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxime.
The vascular integrity and major changes in perfusion can be determined by visual interpretation of radionuclide flow studies. We studied the potential of a new radiopharmaceutical technetium-99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) in the particular setting of pancreas transplantation. Perfusion was measured by perfusion indices (PI). Changes in graft perfusion were estimated by three independent observers. A predefined scale from 0 to 4 was used, with 0 representing no visualisation of the graft and 4 denoting sharp countour delineation and distinct demarcation from the background. In order to investigate the relation between perfusion of the pancreas graft and its exocrine function, we measured the amylase excretion rate (AER) in the urine, expressed in units per hour. It is concluded that 99mTc-HMPAO is a suitable radiopharmaceutical for pancreas allograft imaging. For the assessment of the vascular integrity in the direct postoperative period, the scintigram is very reliable. Although a correlation between exocrine function of the graft and the perfusion score was not established, it is possible to make a clear sorting of AER measurements into different groups.
Booster
M H
MH
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Schoenmakers
E A
EA
Rijnders
A J
AJ
Heidendal
G A
GA
van Kroonenburgh
M J
MJ
van Hooff
J P
JP
Kootstra
G
G
Peltenburg
H G
HG
D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D010477:Perfusion; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D000681:Amylases