Use of rose bengal iodine 131-tagged isotope for testing liver function in 4000 patients.

Within 12 years, 4000 patients with hepatic lesions, were examined by the author. Examinations included: clinical, laboratory, biopsy, together with radioactive Rose-bengal 131I. RBR test prooved to be more sensitive than known laboratory liver function tests. In diagnosis of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, histological examinations remain to be decisive, though biopsy is not always recommended from view point of prognosis. The isotope procedure has a great advantage besides to its sensitive registration of liver cells functions, it offers good informations about flowness of bile tract. The bladder diagrams increase by action of milk-chocolate meals (24 hours), after which, urine analysis, estimation of blood activity and resting-liver activity can be of value. Harm due to radiation in RBR test is a minimum, so it can be repeated several times in order to follow progression of liver diseases. RBR examination is recommended for all big hospitals.