[Determination of copper in hepatic tissue for the diagnosis of Wilson's disease]

An Med Interna. 1989 Mar;6(3):145-8.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Three young patients had clinical data compatible with Wilson's disease (WD); all of them had high serum levels of ceruloplasmin without Kayser-Fleischer rings (K-F), the urinary copper level being very low, not supporting the Wilson's disease diagnosis. This reason was why we decided to detect the amount of copper in the liver tissue, which was very high in all patients, confirming the disease. We would comment that WD of abdominal type does not usually have the K-F rings, which made the diagnosis difficult. An algorithm is proposed to be applied in each case were WD is suspected.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Copper / analysis*
  • Female
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Liver / chemistry*
  • Male

Substances

  • Copper