Utility of Tc-99m GSA SPECT imaging in estimation of functional volume of liver segments in health and liver diseases.

The authors examined whether there was a difference in liver function among hepatic segments in liver cirrhosis cases, and in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with liver cirrhosis. If the average counts in the lateral segment of the left lobe were set at 1, the average counts in the right upper and lower segment of the liver were 0.75 approximately 1.02 (0.89 +/- 0.09, mean +/- SD) in normal cases, 0.38 approximately 2.24 (1.01 +/- 0.39) in liver cirrhosis cases, and 0.61 approximately 2.85 (1.15 +/- 0.58) in HCC cases. There is a significant difference between normal cases and liver cirrhosis cases or HCC cases (P < 0.001). Also, in HCC cases, if the average counts in the cancer-bearing segment of the liver were set at 1, the average counts in the noncancerous segment of the liver were 0.55 approximately 2.85 (1.23 +/- 0.58), and many average counts in the cancer-bearing segment were equal to, or lower than those in the noncancerous segment. It has been found that there were significant differences in function among hepatic segments in liver cirrhosis cases, and in HCC cases. Furthermore, the liver function in the cancer-bearing segment tended to be worse due to the existence of carcinoma compared with that in the noncancerous segment.