[Evaluation on blood clearance and hepatic uptake of 99mTc-GSA in rats with blood flow conversion].

This study was aimed to clarify a contribution of the hepatic blood flow in hepatic accumulation of 99mTc-DTPA-galactosyl serum albumin (99mTc-GSA). The experiment was performed in rats by the blood flow conversion with an external scintillation gamma camera and laser doppler flowmeter. Rats were divided into 4 groups: hepatic artery ligation (HAL, n = 10), portal vein ligation (PVL, n = 8), both hepatic artery and portal vein ligation (HAL+PVL, n = 9), and control (CONT, n = 10) groups. The scintigraphic data were obtained in each group for 10 minutes after intravenous injection of 99mTc-GSA (50 micrograms/100 g B.W). The regions of interest were assigned over the heart and whole liver and the time activity curves (TAC) were generated. Five parameters of HH 4, LHL 4, KH1, KH2, KL, were calculated as blood clearance and hepatic accumulation from TAC in each rat. HH4 as blood clearance index in CONT, HAL, PVL and HAL+PVL was 0.58 +/- 0.04 (mean +/- SE), 0.63 +/- 0.04, 0.85 +/- 0.04, 0.97 +/- 0.001, respectively. HH 4 between CONT vs PVL, HAL+PVL was statistically significant (p < 0.05). LHL 4 as hepatic uptake index in CONT, HAL, PVL and HAL+PVL was 0.96 +/- 0.001, 0.93 +/- 0.01, 0.71 +/- 0.07, 0.41 +/- 0.04, respectively. This parameter was also statistically significant between CONT vs PVL and HAL+PVL groups. Another parameter of KH1 for blood clearance and KL for hepatic uptake were also significant between CONT vs PVL and HAL+PVL groups. All parameters obtained in 99mTc-GSA study correlated well with the hepatic flow rate which was measured with a laser doppler flowmeter and reflected the reduction rate of the hepatic tissue blood flow 4 minutes after the ligation of target vessels. These result suggest that blood clearance and hepatic uptake of 99mTc-GSA are significantly affected by hepatic blood inflow. 99mTc-GSA scintigraphy may be useful in evaluating hepatic tissue blood flow.