Persistent splenic visualization on technetium-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary studies
1Veterans Administration Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia 23249.
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Summary
Persistent splenic visualization during technetium-99m DISIDA imaging is more common than previously thought. This finding may be linked to elevated levels of reduced, hydrolyzed technetium (colloid) in the radiopharmaceutical.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Hepatobiliary System
Background:
- Technetium-99m DISIDA (diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid) is a radiotracer used for hepatobiliary scintigraphy.
- Spleen visualization on DISIDA scans is typically limited to the blood pool phase.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the frequency of persistent splenic visualization during Tc-99m DISIDA imaging.
- To investigate potential correlations with patient demographics and diagnoses.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 245 Tc-99m DISIDA examinations from two institutions.
- Quality control of radiochemical purity using sephadex gel column chromatography.
Main Results:
- Persistent splenic visualization occurred in 1.0% of patients at Institution #1 and 7.3% at Institution #2.
- No correlation was found between persistent visualization and patient age, sex, or final diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Persistent splenic visualization on Tc-99m DISIDA scans is more frequent than generally acknowledged.
- Elevated concentrations of reduced, hydrolyzed technetium (colloid) may cause persistent splenic visualization.