technetium-tc-99m-disofenin and Liver-Diseases

The 99mTc iminodiacetic acid analogues are a group of radiopharmaceuticals which are rapidly metabolized by the hepatocytes and excreted into the biliary tract. In essence, they function as bile markers and are therefore used to trace bile flow pathways by external imaging. There are various facets of liver and biliary tract disorders which can now be investigated with these new agents at a greater confidence level than heretofore possible with the older test agent, 131I-rose bengal. These include determination of cystic duct patency, assessment of the integrity of surgically altered biliary and gastrointestinal anatomy, disclosure of biliary gastric reflux, and distinction between medical and surgical jaundice.

Topics: Biliary Dyskinesia; Biliary Tract; Biliary Tract Diseases; Biliary Tract Surgical Procedures; Cholecystitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Digestive System; Digestive System Surgical Procedures; Humans; Imino Acids; Jaundice; Liver; Liver Diseases; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Diethyl-iminodiacetic Acid; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Technetium Tc 99m Lidofenin

Topics: Adult; Aniline Compounds; Biliary Tract; Biliary Tract Diseases; Child; Glycine; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy using iminodiacetic (IDA) radiopharmaceuticals provides clinically useful information on the function of the biliary tract in a variety of pathological processes in children, including neonatal jaundice, gallbladder dysfunction, trauma, and liver transplantation. Phenobarbital premedication (5 mg/kg per day for a minimum of 5 days in divided doses) is used in infants who are being examined for neonatal jaundice to increase the accuracy of 99mTc-IDA scintigraphy in differentiating extrahepatic biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis. Biliary atresia can be ruled out in an infant if a patent biliary tree is shown with passage of activity into the bowel. If no radiopharmaceutical is noted in the bowel on imaging up to 24 hours, distinction between severe hepatocellular disease and biliary atresia cannot be made. The literature reports 91% accuracy, 97% sensitivity, and 82% specificity for hepatobiliary imaging in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. The impairment of both intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary drainage is an important cause of liver disease in cystic fibrosis. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in cystic fibrosis has shown characteristic patterns of dilatation of mainly the left hepatic duct, narrowing of the distal common bile duct, gallbladder dysfunction, and delayed bowel transit. Cholecystitis in children may be acalculous. Sensitivity and specificity for the scintigraphic diagnosis of acute acalculous cholecystitis is reported to range from 68% to 93% and 38% to 93%, respectively. Cholescintigraphy in a suspected bile leak provides information generally not available with other techniques, except for direct cholangiography. If the amount of intraperitoneal accumulation of the tracer is greater than that entering the gastrointestinal tract, surgery is usually indicated. Hepatobiliary imaging in children who have undergone liver transplantation will assess graft vascularity, parenchymal function, biliary drainage, presence of a leak, and obstruction.

Topics: Adolescent; Biliary Tract; Biliary Tract Diseases; Child; Female; Humans; Imino Acids; Infant; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Sensitivity and Specificity; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Intra- and extrahepatic impairment of biliary drainage is important in the pathogenesis of liver disease in cystic fibrosis. Distal common bile duct obstruction is reported to occur in 13% to 96% of these patients. Between 1975 and 1993, 17 of 372 children (4.5%) with cystic fibrosis attending The Children's Memorial Medical Center in Chicago had liver disease based on clinical and laboratory findings.. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) with 99mTc-DISIDA was performed on 12 of the 17 children (mean age at the time of exam was 9 yr, with a range of 1 mo to 21 yr).. All had hepatomegaly, four had splenomegaly and two had bleeding esophageal varices. Twenty HBS exams on these 12 patients documented nonvisualization of the gallbladder in 7, dilated intrahepatic ducts in 6 (only the left lobe was involved in 3 patients), nonvisualization of bowel in two, delayed peaking time in the liver (> 10 min) in four patients, and delayed clearance from the liver parenchyma (T1/2 > 20 min) in 11. There appears to be a spectrum of abnormal HBS findings in cystic fibrosis patients with liver disease. These are delayed clearance of liver parenchyma, nonvisualization of the gallbladder and dilated intrahepatic ducts with a predilection for the left lobe of the liver. These abnormal findings fluctuate in time and may not correlate with the findings on ultrasonography.. Quantitative hepatobiliary scintigraphy is a valuable tool in the evaluation and management of the liver disease in this patient population.

Topics: Bile Duct Diseases; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Child; Cystic Fibrosis; Female; Gallbladder; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Topics: Bile Ducts; Child; Cystic Fibrosis; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Liver Function Tests; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Four patients with multiple hepatic cysts were studied: two were diagnosed with Caroli's disease (CD) and two with polycystic hepatic disease (PHD). In CD, hepatic scintigraphy with Tc-99m DISIDA showed areas of focally increased radiotracer accumulation that persisted more than 120 minutes, whereas in PHD, areas of focally decreased radiotracer accumulation were observed with normal liver washout and biliary excretion. When multiple hepatic cysts are shown by abdominal echography or CT scan, hepatic scintigraphy with Tc-99m DISIDA should be performed. This examination is safe and noninvasive, and permits differential diagnosis between CD and PHD.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Caroli Disease; Cysts; Diagnosis, Differential; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Male; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

One hundred and four adult patients with cystic fibrosis were evaluated for the presence of liver disease as defined by abnormal liver function tests of six months' duration, histological evidence of fibrosis or cirrhosis, or the presence of portal hypertension, or both. Twenty patients fulfilled these criteria and were evaluated further for the presence of biliary tract abnormalities with biliary scintigraphy using 99Tc diisopropylphenyl-carboxymethyl iminodiacetic acid (DISIDA) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. Clearance of 99Tc DISIDA from the liver and biliary tree was diminished at 45 (E45) and 60 (E60) minutes in the patients with liver disease compared with those without liver disease; E45 = 37.8% and 65.8%, p less than 0.01; E60 = 48.2% and 77.5%, p less than 0.01 respectively. Serial analogue images of the extrahepatic biliary tree were consistent with common bile duct obstruction with retention of DISIDA and tapering of the common bile duct in seven of 18 patients with and two of 10 patients without liver disease. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography showed changes consistent with sclerosing cholangitis, with beading and stricturing of the intrahepatic ducts in 12 of the 14 patients. In all 14 patients, including those in whom biliary scintigraphy had suggested obstruction, no abnormality of the common bile duct was identified. These results indicate that abnormalities of the bile ducts in patients with cystic fibrosis related liver disease are confined to the intrahepatic biliary tree and that common bile duct strictures do not contribute to either the progression or development of liver disease in these patients.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Biliary Tract Diseases; Child; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Cystic Fibrosis; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Portal; Imino Acids; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Diseases; Male; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

We studied the size of the liver graft and the host liver in six consecutive patients undergoing auxiliary heterotopic liver transplantation for chronic end-stage liver disease. In all cases, a liver reduced in size by left lateral hepatectomy was inserted. The sizes of the graft and host liver were estimated by planimetry of two-dimensional di-isopropyl iminodiacetic acid scintigrams taken 3, 7, 21, 90 and 180 days after surgery. Graft size increased from a mean of 12.2 cm2 (95% confidence interval = 10.2 to 14.1) on day 3 to a maximum of 14.8 cm2 (95% confidence interval = 13.4 to 16.1) on day 21 and remained stable thereafter; in contrast, the host liver decreased in size from 9.6 cm2 (95% confidence interval = 6.8 to 12.3) on day 3 to 3.9 cm2 (95% confidence interval = 3.0 to 4.8) at mo 6. We conclude that in patients with chronic liver failure, an auxiliary allograft reduced in size and placed adjacent to the host liver shows regenerative growth within 3 wk, whereas the host liver atrophies in 3 to 6 mo.

Topics: Adult; Atrophy; Chronic Disease; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Liver Regeneration; Liver Transplantation; Middle Aged; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Transplantation, Heterotopic

The hepato-enteric distribution of 99Tcm-labelled DISIDA and the hepato-splenic distribution of 99Tcm-labelled phytate were studied in controls and in mice with carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage. The test group animals showed a diminished excretion of DISIDA to intestine with retention of this tracer in the liver and an increased splenic uptake of phytate. No changes in the hepatic uptake of phytate were found. The joint evaluation of both tracers in the study of diffuse liver disease is discussed.

Topics: Animals; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Imino Acids; Intestine, Small; Liver; Liver Diseases; Mice; Organotechnetium Compounds; Phytic Acid; Spleen; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Topics: Adenoma; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Hyperplasia; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Liver Neoplasms; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

These are the first human experiments with 97Ru-DISIDA, a potentially new alternative to 131I-rose bengal where delayed imaging is indicated. 97Ru has a convenient half life. A DISIDA labeling kit was utilized to prepare the radiotracer for 17 patients (age 6 weeks-84 years). The cholescintigraphic data correlated well with other imaging procedures and with clinical findings. Dosimetric calculations were carried out and were compared with the radiation burden associated with the use of 99mTc-DISIDA and 131I-rose bengal.

Topics: Biliary Tract Diseases; Cholecystitis; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Organometallic Compounds; Radiation Dosage; Radionuclide Imaging; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; Ruthenium Radioisotopes; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

The whole blood pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered 99mTc-disofenin (DISIDA) has been studied in normal subjects and patients with documented liver disease. The apparent overall whole blood disposition rates of radioactivity were calculated from serial blood data, in order to evaluate liver clearance of DISIDA. The measurements obtained clearly discriminated 9 normal subjects from 7 patients with severe liver disease causing jaundice--1233 mls/min vs 384 mls/min (P less than 0.002). Nine subjects with liver disease of insufficient severity to cause jaundice also had clearly abnormal DISIDA disposition--642 ml/min (P less than 0.05 for difference to controls). The time activity curves from all subjects showed biexponential elimination of blood activity, with a rapid (T1/2 = 3.8 min) and a slow disposition phase (T1/2 = 75 min) in normals. These curves were fitted by computer to the timed rate of hepatic uptake, simultaneously obtained by gamma imaging over the liver. It was not possible to satisfactorily fit these using a model which assumed distribution of a single compound within two body compartments. However, another which assumed the administration of two radioactive agents satisfactorily fitted the two types of data. This conclusion is consistent with our animal experiments which indicate the existence of two compounds in injected DISIDA with contrasting high and low hepatic extraction efficiency (Fraser et al. 1988). A pharmacokinetic approach to DISIDA disposition can yield quantitative information which discriminates different degrees of liver dysfunction, but the mechanisms involved are more complicated than previously thought, so that further study should permit very precise quantification.

Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Imino Acids; Jaundice; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

The presence of normal biliary flow was established in a patient with an indwelling hepatic catheter placed to drain an intrahepatic cyst cavity with the use of sequential hepatobiliary scintiscans. In the initial study drainage was demonstrated from the indwelling catheter; when the catheter was clamped, drainage was observed in the native biliary system. Serial biliary scintigraphy not only confirmed the patency of the hepatobiliary system, but served as a guide in the removal of the intrahepatic catheter.

Topics: Catheters, Indwelling; Cholestasis; Cysts; Drainage; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid

Nine patients who had surgically proven acute gangrenous cholecystitis and Tc-99m DISIDA scintigrams were reviewed retrospectively. Three types of scintigraphic findings were presented: 1) nonvisualization of the gallbladder, three cases; 2) nonvisualization of the gallbladder plus a rim sign, two cases; and 3) nonvisualization of the gallbladder plus an enlarged photon deficient area corresponding to the gallbladder fossa, four cases. A rim sign or an enlarged gallbladder fossa reflect the direct spread of inflammation from the gallbladder into the liver, causing impaired hepatocyte function. An enlarged gallbladder fossa may represent a later stage of a rim sign. Presumably tracer excretion by hepatocytes is affected initially by the inflammatory process, followed by impairment of tracer concentrating ability. Since the gallbladder may be suspended occasionally by a mesentery and not in contact with the liver, the secondary signs may be absent in acute gangrenous cholecystitis.

Topics: Acute Disease; Aged; Cholecystitis; Gangrene; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Retrospective Studies; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Topics: Adult; Cysts; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Polycystic Kidney Diseases; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

During hepatobiliary imaging studies, approximately 9% of Tc-99m DISIDA normally is excreted via the kidney. In routine 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60-minute images, the kidneys and urinary bladder are best visualized at 5-10 minutes and after 10-15 minutes, respectively. Nonvisualization of the kidney and/or urinary bladder may indicate renal dysfunction. To evaluate this hypothesis, Tc-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary images of 63 patients were correlated with concurrent serum BUN and creatinine levels (measured within 24 hours of the hepatobiliary study). Serum creatinine and BUN values were normal in patients with renal visualization. In patients without renal visualization, 17 of 19 had abnormal BUN and creatinine levels. The values of BUN and creatinine were significantly elevated (P less than 0.001) in patients without renal visualization when compared with those showing renal visualization. One patient had visualization of a single kidney due to a nephrectomy; in another, persistent visualization was due to hydronephrosis. Nonvisualization of the kidneys and/or urinary bladder suggests abnormal renal function, and asymmetric renal activity raises the possibility of renal disease.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biliary Tract Diseases; Humans; Imino Acids; Kidney; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Two patients with cystic disease of the liver have been studied with 99Tcm sulphur colloid and 99Tcm DISIDA scintigraphy and CT. One patient's cystic lesions are substantially enlarged as seen in 99Tcm sulphur colloid scintigrams performed at 10 year intervals. Another patient's scintigraphic studies performed at 5 year intervals demonstrated no significant progression in the size of the cysts in the liver. The 99Tcm DISIDA scintigram of each patient demonstrated no radiotracer filled-in in the cystic lesions (photon deficient areas on 99Tcm sulphur colloid scan). This finding may be used to differentiate cystic disease of the liver from hepatoma, in which usually DISIDA filled-in the defects seen on the 99Tcm sulphur colloid scintigram.

Topics: Aged; Cysts; Female; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid

Six healthy individuals and six patients with a wide range of hepatobiliary function abnormalities were studied with Tc-99m-trimethylbromo-IDA; all normal subjects and four of the six patients were also studied with Tc-99m-diisopropyl-IDA. Visual evaluation of analog images demonstrated a greater liver-to-kidney ratio for Tc-99m-trimethylbromo-IDA (p less than 0.01). Sampling for radiopharmaceutical in urine at three hours following injection demonstrated that Tc-99m-trimethylbromo-IDA had a lower renal excretion rate than Tc-99m-diisopropyl-IDA regardless of whether hepatocyte function was normal or abnormal (p less than 0.01). There were no significant differences between the two radiopharmaceuticals in hepatocyte extraction efficiency or hepatic parenchymal transit time. It is concluded that the lower rate of renal excretion and, therefore, greater hepatocyte specificity of Tc-99m-trimethylbromo-IDA justifies expanded clinical trials and may make it the radiopharmaceutical of choice for hepatobiliary imaging.

Topics: Adult; Aniline Compounds; Biliary Tract; Biliary Tract Diseases; Drug Evaluation; Glycine; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Organotechnetium Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Thirty-one patients with a wide range of hepatobiliary function and clinical diagnoses were studied with both diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m and diethyl-IDA Tc 99m. Images were similar except for an increased liver-to-kidney ratio with diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m (p less than 0.01) and a tendency toward an increased liver-to-background ratio at five minutes with diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m (p greater than 0.05). Quantification of the relative hepatocyte extraction efficiency indicated a 16% higher extraction efficiency for diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m (p greater than 0.05). Cumulative three-hour urine collections following injection demonstrated no significant difference in renal excretion in patients with normal total serum bilirubin levels. Both radiopharmaceuticals demonstrated increasing renal excretion with increasing total serum bilirubin levels; however, renal excretion of diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m increased more slowly than excretion of diethyl-IDA Tc 99m (p less than 0.01). We conclude that, while the overall differences between these two radiopharmaceuticals are small, diisopropyl-IDA Tc 99m is superior because of a lower renal excretion rate in patients with decreased hepatocyte function.

Topics: Bile Duct Diseases; Bile Ducts; Cholangiography; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Humans; Imino Acids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Diethyl-iminodiacetic Acid; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin

Tc-99m-diisopropyl-IDA (DISIDA) and Tc-99m-diethyl-IDA (DE-IDA) were compared in each of 44 patients who had serum bilirubin levels ranging from normal to 50 mg/dl. Quantitative and qualitative analysis showed a significantly higher liver uptake relative to background for DISIDA. No significant differences between DISIDA and DE-IDA were found in the blood retention and rate of liver washout. Clinically, the diagnostic information received from both radiopharmaceuticals was essentially the same.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Biliary Tract Diseases; Female; Heart; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia; Imino Acids; Kinetics; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Diethyl-iminodiacetic Acid; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin