Indium-111 chloride for detecting suspected hepatomas in patients with focal defects on technetium-99m sulfur colloid liver imaging.

Twenty-three patients with hepatic cirrhosis and focal defects on Tc-99m sulfur colloid (SC) scintigrams were restudied with In-111 chloride to determine if indium localization in the focal defect is indicative of a hepatoma. Seven of eight patients with proven hepatomas had positive studies; however, six of 15 patients without hepatomas also had studies interpreted as positive. Thus, In-111 chloride is highly sensitive for the detection of hepatomas, and a negative indium study would militate against this diagnosis. The high false-positive rate found may be due to technical factors rather than a lack of specificity of localization; the experience of others seems to support this impression. At present, In-111 chloride scintigraphy for focal hepatic defects appears to be useful in ruling out hepatoma.