Index of Convexity: a Novel Liver Function Index Using Tc-GSA Scintigraphy

Overview

Journal World J Gastroenterol

Publisher Baishideng Publishing Group

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2013 Jan 18

PMID 23326168

Citations 2

Authors

Kenji Miki

Yuichi Matsui

Masanori Teruya

Michio Kaminishi

Norihiro Kokudo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the clinical usefulness of a newly developed index, the "index of convexity (IOC)", for evaluating liver functional reserve using technetium-99m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-galactosyl-human serum albumin (Tc-GSA scintigraphy).

Methods: In total, 349 patients underwent Tc-GSA scintigraphy. Dynamic planner images were obtained, and time activity curves of the liver and heart were generated and analyzed. Our focus was on the convex shape of the liver accumulation curve. We developed a method for evaluating the extent of convexity and calculated an index that we named the IOC. Clearance index and receptor index were also calculated. The correlations between each GSA index with other liver function tests and liver histopathology were evaluated.

Results: Among the 3 indices generated by Tc-GSA, the IOC had the highest correlation with all other liver function tests (indocyanine green R15, albumin, prothrombin time, cholinesterase level, platelet count, and total bilirubin level). IOC can also differentiate between normal liver, chronic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis with highest F ratio among GSA indices as determined by one-way analysis of variance. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated high diagnostic performance of IOC in the diagnosis of cirrhosis.

Conclusion: IOC is a very simple and reliable index for assessing liver functional reserve, which may prove to be useful in combination with the indocyanine green test for preoperative assessment of hepatic resection.

Citing Articles

Usefulness of Liver Uptake Rate Constant in Tc-GSA Scintigraphy for the Risk Stratification of Patients Undergoing Hepatectomy: A New Method for Calculation.

Yamamoto Y, Abukawa Y, Sato K, Watanabe G, Nakagawa Y, Hashimoto M Visc Med. 2023; 38(6):400-407.

PMID: 36589249 PMC: 9801322. DOI: 10.1159/000525892.

Significance of (99m)Tc-GSA liver scintigraphy in liver surgery and transplantation.

Iida T, Yagi S, Hori T, Uemoto S Ann Transl Med. 2015; 3(2):16.

PMID: 25738136 PMC: 4322167. DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.01.07.

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