99mTc colloid and 99mTc IDA imagings in diffuse hepatic disease.

Ninety-six patients with various diffuse hepatic diseases were observed using both 99mTc colloid and 99mTc iminodiacetic acid (IDA), focusing on the potential etiologies of the disease process as well as its chronicity and severity. The presence of acute hepatic disease was more sensitively depicted with 99mTc IDA than with 99mTc colloid. In chronic hepatic disease, on the other hand, 99mTc colloid and 99mTc IDA demonstrated a similar sensitivity. The potential etiology of the disease process (differential diagnosis) and the chronicity of the disease could be evaluated better with 99mTc colloid. Among the patients with different stages of liver cirrhosis, however, 99mTc IDA significantly discriminated the severity of the hepatic disease. These results suggest that 99mTc IDA may be used to determine the degree of functional disorder in acute hepatic disease and evaluate the severity of diffuse hepatic disease, whereas 99mTc colloid can effectively evaluate the potential etiology and chronicity of the disease.