Fulminant hepatic failure monitored by technetium-99m-DTPA-galactosyl-human serum albumin scintigraphy

J Nucl Med. 1996 Apr;37(4):641-3.

Abstract

We describe a 43-yr-old woman with fulminant hepatic failure whose progress was monitored scintigraphically using 99m-Tc-galactosyl-human serum albumin (99mTc-GSA). On admission, the liver was atrophic and the heart was delineated distinctly by scintigraphy with 99m-Tc-GSA. The receptor index, calculated by dividing the radioactivity of the liver region of interest by the radioactivity of the liver plus heart regions of interest at 15 min post-tracer injection, was very low. As the patient's condition improved, the right lobe of the liver enlarged while the left lobe became atrophic; after 4 mo, the left lobe almost completely disappeared. Delineation of the heart gradually became less distinct, and the receptor index slowly increased. Hepatic receptor imaging with 99m-Tc-GSA can define both the hepatic functional reserve and morphological changes of the liver, so it is useful for the diagnosis and follow-up study of fulminant hepatic failure.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor*
  • Atrophy
  • Carrier Proteins / analysis
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Galactose / analysis
  • Heart / diagnostic imaging
  • Hepatic Encephalopathy / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver / pathology
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin*
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
  • hepatic sialoglycoprotein receptor
  • technetium Tc 99m DTPA-galactosyl-human serum albumin
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
  • Galactose