BACKGROUND. In order to evaluate the functional capacity of
the liver by means of clearance determination, the derivative of
iminodiacetic acid (99mTc-HEPIDA) has been used in recent decades.
Because of recent problems with manufacturing and
delivery of 99mTc-HEPIDA, an investigation was undertaken with
the aim of testing whether a more widely available 99mTc-MBrIDA
could be used for clearance determination and whether hepatic
clearance measured with the use of this compound provides
a similarly useful test of hepatic function.
MATERIAL AND METHODS. Comparative investigations were
performed in 73 patients of both sexes. The state of the efficiency
of liver parenchyma was determined based on seven widely
used biochemical tests, i.e. levels of: bilirubin, albumin, and
gamma globulin; activity of AST, ALT, GGTP, and prothrombin
index. The clearances of both radiopharmaceuticals, 99mTc-HEPIDA
and 99mTc-MBrIDA, were determined by means of multisample technique. The results of determination were correlated
among themselves and with the results of biochemical tests.
The set of results of all estimations allowed a factorial analysis
to be performed to find a common factor and to compute the
values of factor loadings in particular tests.
RESULTS. Obvious correlation between plasma and hepatic
clearances of both radiopharmaceuticals was obtained and between
plasma clearance of 99mTc-MBrIDA and hepatic clearance
of 99mTc-HEPIDA. Correlation coefficients of 99mTc-MBrIDA clearance
and the biochemical test results attained somewhat lower
values than for 99mTc-HEPIDA clearance. Similarly, values of χ2
test of independence of 99mTc-MBrIDA clearances and test results
were also less close than for 99mTc-HEPIDA clearances.
Factorial analysis showed that common factor loading is greatest
for hepatic clearance of 99mTc-HEPIDA; the values of two loadings
of 99mTc-MBrIDA clearances are very close, but somewhat
lower than those for 99mTc-HEPIDA.
CONCLUSIONS. From the performed investigations it is possible
to conclude that 99mTc-MBrIDA clearances may be used for
the evaluation of liver parenchyma performance, even if the results
may not be as certain as those obtained using 99mTc-HEPIDA
