FUNCTIONING HEPATOCYTE MASS IN LIVER ALLOGRAFTS ASSESSED BY99m Tc-GSALIVER SCINTIGRAPHY

Abstract

210 Recent studies have shown that liver scintigraphy using99m Tc-galactosyl-human serum albumin (Tc-GSA) is a novel method for assessing functioning hepatocyte mass. We evaluated liver allograft function using Tc-GSA scintigraphy. Patients and Methods The subjects of this study consisted of 93 patients with liver diseases as controls (21 patients with metastatic liver tumors in otherwise normal livers [N group], 20 with chronic viral hepatitis [CH group], 39 with liver cirrhosis associated with viral hepatitis [LC group], and 12 with obstructive jaundice [OJ group]), and 13 liver transplant recipients (LTX group). From January to November 1997, the patients underwent Tc-GSA scintigraphy. The blood pool clearance index(HH15) and the hepatic uptake ratio of Tc-GSA (LHL15) were calculated from the time-activity curves. The mean values of the data in each group were compared statistically by Student's t test.Results The HH15 values (mean±SD) in N, CH, LC, and OJ group were as follows: 0.53±0.07, 0.60±0.06 (P<0.01 vs. N), 0.70±0.09 (P<0.01 vs. N, P<0.01 vs. CH), 0.61±0.05(P<0.01 vs. N) respectively. The corresponding values of LHL15 were as follows: 0.94±0.03, 0.91±0.04 (P<0.05 vs. N), 0.86±0.06 (P<0.01 vs. N, P<0.01 vs. CH), 0.92±0.03 (P=0.08 vs. N) respectively. The values of HH15 and LHL15 in LTX group are shown in the table. Severity of periportal fibrosis of the liver allograft biopsy was correlated significantly with the values of HH15 (P<0.01; Spearman's rank correlation analysis) but not with LHL15 (P=0.052) Conclusion Tc-GSA scintigraphy may be a useful tool to evaluate functioning hepatocyte mass and severity of periportal fibrosis of liver allografts.