Comparison of alpha1 fetoprotein radioimmunoassay method and liver scanning for detecting primary hepatic cell carcinoma.

Alpha1 (alpha 1) fetoprotein (AFP) radioimmunoassay method was routinely used in addition to liver scintigraphy to detect a primary hepatic cell carcinoma, and the diagnostic accuracy of both methods was compared. Twenty-one of 27 cases (78%) with primary hepatic cell carcinoma showed a positive AFP titer of over 200 ng/ml. In 3 of these AFP-positive cases, no focal defects could be found in liver scintigraphy, although subsequently performed celiac angiography revealed hypervascular shadows. On the contrary, 22 of 27 cases (81%) represented well-defined focal defects on scintigraphy. In 4 of these cases with a positive scan, the result of AFP was found to be negative. The overall diagnostic accuracy for detecting primary hepatic cell carcinoma with a combination of both methods was 93%.