A Quantitative Index Measured on ⁹⁹mTc GSA SPECT/CT 3D Fused Images to Evaluate Severe Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

Overview

Journal Jpn J Radiol

Publisher Springer

Specialty Radiology

Date 2012 Apr 12

PMID 22492469

Citations 12

Authors

Morikatsu Yoshida

Shinya Shiraishi

Fumi Sakaguchi

Daisuke Utsunomiya

Kuniyuki Tashiro

Seiji Tomiguchi

Hirohisa Okabe

Toru Beppu

Hideo Baba

Yasuyuki Yamashita

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: We compared quantitative indices estimated by use of technetium-(99m) galactosyl human serum albumin ((99m)Tc-GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) fused imaging and hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

Materials And Methods: On the basis of pathological findings we divided 161 patients into non-severe and severe fibrosis groups (n = 81 and n = 80, respectively). We measured 2 indices by (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT/CT fused imaging: liver uptake value (LUV) = [radioactivity (whole liver)/radioactivity (injected)] × 100/body surface area, and functional liver index (FLI) = [radioactivity (hepatocytes)/radioactivity (injected)] × 100/liver volume. We compared these indices with biochemical and histopathological results.

Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that FLI, LUV, LHL15, and prothrombin time were significant independent predictors of severe fibrosis. On the basis of receiver operating characteristics analysis, the areas under curve values of FLI, LUV, LHL15, and prothrombin time for predicting severe fibrosis were 0.83, 0.73, 0.69, and 0.68, respectively. Using an FLI value of 0.053, it was possible to predict severe fibrosis with 65 % sensitivity, 88 % specificity, and 76 % accuracy.

Conclusion: Assessment of functional hepatocytes by use of (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT/CT fused images is useful for identifying pathological liver fibrosis.

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