Clinical evaluation of Tc-99m-diethyl-IDA in hepatobiliary disorders.

N,alpha(2,6-diethylacetanilide)-iminodiacetic acid is a new Tc-99m-labeled radiopharmaceutical primarily excreted through the biliary tract. Its high concentration in the bile allows the imaging of the biliary tree and the gallbladder. Scintigraphic studies were performed in 20 normal subjects and 42 patients suffering from various hepatobiliary disturbances. In normal subjects, the early liver uptake was followed by the accumulation of the tracer in the intrahepatic bile ducts and the gallbladder before its discharge into the duodenum. In cases of hepatocellar damage, the hepatic accumulation of the tracer was clearly depressed. Any acute or subacute disorder of the gallbladder was clearly demonstrated by Tc-99m-diethyl-IDA. In cases of asymptomatic cholelithiasis, we observed delayed visualization of the gallbladder associated with its decreased accumulation of the tracer. The intrahepatic bile ducts were distended in cases of incomplete obstruction of the hepatobiliary ducts, whereas they were never visualized when there was severe hepatocellular damage or complete obstruction of the biliary tree.