Dynamic studies on the portal hemodynamics of scintiphotosplenoportography. Streamline flow in the human portal vein.

To demonstrate streamline flow in the human portal vein, the hepatic lobar distribution of splenic flow was studied in 6 patients without liver disease and 4 patients with chronic hepatitis using a new technique, scintiphotosplenoportography, followed by 198Au-colloid liver scintigraphy. In two patients, a 99mTcO4-bolus injected into the spleen drained predominantly into the left lobe of the liver. A repeat examination performed in one patient revealed that the bolus was chiefly directed to the other lobe, the right lobe. In 3 patients, the distribution of 99mTcO4- radioactivity was the same as that observed with 198Au-colloid. In the other 5 patients the predominant distribution of 99mTcO4- was observed in the right lobe. In 8 of 11 studies, splenic flow was distributed either to the right or left lobe instead of diffusely to both lobes. This result suggests that flow in the human portal vein is streamline rather than turbulent.