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99mTc-GSA SPECT analysis was clinically useful to evaluate the effect of interferon in a patient with interferon non-responsive chronic hepatitis C

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Abstract

We describe a 62-year-old woman with advanced chronic hepatitis C who showed no response to low-dose long-term interferon-beta monotherapy (3 MU, three times a week). The interferon monotherapy was continued for 2 years and 9 months. Despite this lack of response to interferon, the patient’s clinical course was good and liver function assessed by 99mTc-galactosyl human serum albumin single photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-GSA SPECT) analysis improved significantly. Improvement of the data obtained by 99mTc-GSA SPECT analysis justified continuation of the treatment. 99mTc-GSA SPECT analysis was clinically useful to evaluate the effect of interferon in a patient with interferon non-responsive chronic hepatitis C, despite a lack of reduction of the ALT level and HCV-RNA titer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, 2-2-2 Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan

    Rika Ishii, Hitoshi Togashi, Chikako Sato, Hiroaki Haga, Mai Sanjo, Kazuo Okumoto, Yuko Nishise, Jun-itsu Ito, Hisayoshi Watanabe, Koji Saito, Takafumi Saito & Sumio Kawata

  2. Yamagata University Health Administration Center, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata, 990-8560, Japan

    Hitoshi Togashi

  3. Department of Pathological Diagnostics, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, 2-2-2 Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan

    Akiko Iwaba

  4. Department of Radiology, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, 2-2-2 Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan

    Akio Okada & Kazuei Takahashi

Authors
  1. Rika Ishii
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  2. Hitoshi Togashi
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  3. Akiko Iwaba
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  4. Chikako Sato
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  5. Hiroaki Haga
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  6. Mai Sanjo
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  7. Kazuo Okumoto
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  8. Yuko Nishise
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  9. Jun-itsu Ito
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  10. Hisayoshi Watanabe
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  11. Koji Saito
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  12. Akio Okada
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  13. Kazuei Takahashi
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  14. Takafumi Saito
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  15. Sumio Kawata
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hitoshi Togashi.

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Ishii, R., Togashi, H., Iwaba, A. et al. 99mTc-GSA SPECT analysis was clinically useful to evaluate the effect of interferon in a patient with interferon non-responsive chronic hepatitis C. Ann Nucl Med 25, 520–523 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-011-0484-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-011-0484-0

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