Measurement of hepatic arterial and portal blood flow and circulation time via hepatic artery and portal vein with radioisotope.

Abstract

(1) A new and clinically useful method with Au198 colloid for the determination of hepatic arterial and portal blood flow by the external counting method is introduced.(2) In 37 cases of control persons, the ratio of hepatic arterial blood flow to hepatic blood flow was 37.6±3.4 per cent and in 24 cases of liver cirrhosis the ratio was 59.8±6.3 per cent. This mean of the ratio of the liver cirrhosis showed a definitely increased value as compared with the controls (P<0.01).(3) Hepatic arterial blood flow was 281ml./min. in controls and 293ml./min. in liver cirrhosis, but portal blood flow was 468ml./min. in controls and 196ml./min. in liver cirrhosis on an average.(4) Hepatic circulation time via hepatic artery or via portal vein was measured.(5) The ratio of hepatic arterial blood flow to hepatic blood flowshowed a correlation with appearance time of hepatic circulation via portal vein.(6) From the stepwise changes of the disappearance-rate-constant of Au198 before and after the occlusion of the hepatic artery and the portal vein, the ratio of hepatic arterial blood flow was obtained experimentally in 6 dogs. The mean of the ratio was 21.5 per cent.(7) A micro G. M. counter was utilized first in analyzing hepatic circulation in 7 dogs experimentally. With the counter inserted into the hepatic vein, the separative recording of hepatic arterial and portal circulation was obtained.