Correlation of scintigraphy with short interval autopsy in malignant focal liver disease: a study of 59 cases.

The accuracy of scintigraphy in focal liver disease was evaluated by comparing the scintigraphic and autopsy findings in 59 patients. The interval between scintigraphy and autopsy was not more than a few weeks. The overall agreement rate was 49 in 59 (83%), with four out of 26 (15%) false positive and six out of 33 (18%) false negative reports. Defects smaller than 2 1/2 cm were the principal source of false negative reports. The accuracy of interpretation in cases with liver weights up to 2000 g was significantly (P less than 0.025) lower than for higher weights. Detection of a single focal lesion by scintigraphy was found to be unreliable (only two out of 13 correct). Estimation of spleen weights by scintigraphy was disappointing. Liver weight estimates were somewhat more satisfactory.