Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Computerized tomography and nuclear imaging of the liver

A comparative study in 83 cases

  • Published:
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was performed to comparatively assess the diagnostic accuracy of computerized tomography (CT) and nuclear liver-scanning in detecting and defining circumscript and diffuse liver diseases in 83 patients. Presence or absence of liver diseases was assessed based on the results of invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsy, laparoscopy, laparotomy, and/or autopsy. The percentage of true negative diagnoses was 94% for CT and 91% for static gamma-imaging (n=33). With a rate of 94% true positive diagnoses, CT proved to be superior to gamma imaging with radiocolloids (81% true positives) in diagnosing circumscript liver diseases (n=31). In addition, CT was superior to nuclear imaging regarding discrimination of number and size of space-occupying lesions within the liver. In contrast to nuclear screening, CT scans were pathognomonic to some circumscript liver diseases such as cysts, metastates, and perhaps echinococciasis. This was also true for obstructive jaundice. Nuclear imaging, because it reflects a sort of liver function, was superior with cirrhosis, whereas CT showed only alterations in the size and shape of the liver and spleen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agnew, J.E., James, O., Bouchier, I.A.D.: Liver and pancreas scanning in extrahepatic obstructive jaundice (with special reference to tumors of the bile and hepatic ducts). Brit. J. Radiol. 48, 190–199 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aiginger, P., Atefie, K., Scherak, O., Seyfried, H., Wolf, A., Höfer, R.: Leberszintigraphie bei diffusen Leberparenchymerkrankungen. Fortschr. Röntgenstr. 123, 121–125 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alfidi, R.J., Haaga, J., Meaney, T.F., MacIntyre, W.J., Gonzales, L., Tarar, R., Zelch, M.G., Boller. M., Cook, S.A., Jelden, G.: Computed tomography of the thorax and the abdomen; A preliminary report. Radiology 117, 257–264 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alfidi, R.J., Mac Intyre, W.J., Haaga, J.R.: The effects of biological motion on CT resolution. Am. J. Roentgenol. 127, 11–15 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alfidi, R.J., Haaga, J.R., Havrilla, T.R., Pepe, R.G., Cook, S.A.: Computed tomography of the liver. Am. J. Roentgenol. 127, 69–74 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Angehrn, F.G., Schmid, P., Pescia, R., Horica, C.A., Koelz, H.R., Herz, R., Cueni, B., Schmid, M., Akovbiantz, A., Heinzel, F., Landolt, M., Haemmerli, U.P., Blum, A.L.: Lebermetastasen. diagnostischer Wert von Bluttests, Szintigraphie und Laparoskopie. Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. 101, 1047–1055 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bekier, A., Berkovits, G.: Die Bedeutung der dynamischen Sequenzszintigraphie der Leber in der klinischen Diagnostik. Fortschr. Röntgenstr. 123, 532–535 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blahd, W.H.: Nuclear medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill 1971

    Google Scholar 

  • Braunstein, P., Song, C.S.: The uses and limitations of radioisotopes in the investigation of gastrointestinal diseases. Digest. Dis. 20, 53–90 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, P.J., Dinn, W.M., Grossmann, Z.D., Wistow, B.W., McAfee, J.G., Kieffer, S.A.: Correlation of computed tomography, gray scale ultrasonography and radionuclide imaging of the liver in detecting space-occupying processes. Radiology 124, 387–393 (1977)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conn, H.O., Elkington, S.G.: Is hepatic scanning overrated? Gastroenterology 54, 135–140 (1968)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evens, R.G.: New Frontier for radiology: Computed tomography. Am. J. Roentgenol. 120, 1117–1129 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feine, U., zum Winkel, K.: Nuklearmedizin. Szintigraphische Diagnostik. Stuttgart: Georg Thieme 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossmann, Z.D., Wistow, B.W., Bryan, P.J., Dinn, W.M., McAfee, J.G., Kieffer, S.A.: Radionuclide imaging, computed tomography, and gray scale ultrasonography of the liver: A comparative study. J. Nucl. Med. 18, 327–332 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Harell, G.S., Marshall, W.H., Breiman, R.S., Seppi, E.J.: Early experience with the varian six second body scanner in the diagnosis of hepatobiliary tract disease. Radiology 123, 355–360 (1977)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jhingran, S.G., Jordan, L., Jahns, M.F., Haynie, T.P.: Liver scintigrams compared with alkaline phosphatase and BSP determination in the detection of metastatic carcinoma. J. Nucl. Med. 12, 227–230 (1971)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krauss, O., Schumacher, H.: Mensch-Phantommessungen mit Thermolumineszenz-Dosimetern (TLD) zur Bestimmung der Strahlendosis des Patienten bei der Ganzkörper-Computertomographie. Radiologe 16, 288–293 (1976)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lomas, F., Dibos, P.E., Wagner, H.N.: Increased specificity of liver scanning with the use of 67gallium citrate. N. Engl. J. Med. 286, 1323–1329 (1972)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ludbrook, J., Slavotinek, A.H., Ronai, P.M.: Observer error in reporting on liver scans for space-occupying lesions. Gastroenterology 62, 1013–1019 (1972)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, R.R.: Focal porta hepatis scintiscan defects: What is their significance? J. Nucl. Med. 16, 1007–1011 (1975)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pohl, G., Galvan, G., Haas, P.: Das szintigraphische Bild der Leberzirrhose. Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 85, 812–814 (1973)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramathan, P., Ganatra, R.D., Blau, M.: Dynamic bloodflow of space-occupying lesions in the liver. J. Nucl. Med. 15, 1021–1024 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagel, S., Stanley, R.J., Evens, R.G. Early clinical experience with motionless whole-body computed tomography. Radiology 119, 321–330 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sauer, R., Friedrich, R., Fahrländer, H.: Zur Diagnostik chronischer Lebererkrankungen mit Hilfe der Radiokolloid-Szintigraphie. Fortschr. Röntgenstr. 119, 175–184 (1973)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, U., Rothe, R., Lissner, J., Eisenburg, J., Meister, P., Schildberg, F.-W.: Diagnostic accuracy of CT in circumscript liver diasease. Am. J. Roentgenol. (1978, in press)

  • Sheedy, P.F., Stephens, D.H., Hattery, R.R., Muhm, J.R., Hartman, G.W.: Computed tomography of the body: Initial clinical trial with the EMI prototype. Am. J. Roentgenol. 127, 23–51 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stadalnik, R.C., Matolo, N.M., Jansholt, A.-L., Krohn, K.A., DeNardo, G.L., Wolfman, E.F.: Technetium-99m-pyridoxy-lideneglutamate (P.G.) cholescintigraphy. Radiology 121, 657–661 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, R.J., Sagel, S.S., Levitt, R.G.: Computed tomography of the body: Early trends in application and accuracy of the method. Am. J. Roentgenol. 127, 53–67 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephens, D.H., Hattery, R.R., Sheedy, P.F.: Computed tomography of the abdomen. Early experience with the EMI body scanner. Radiology 119, 331–335 (1976)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephens, D.H., Sheedy, P.F., Hattery, R.R., Mac Carty, R.L.: Computed tomography of the liver. Am. J. Roentgenol. 128, 579–590 (1977)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vido, I., Hundeshagen, H., Becker, H., Schmidt, F.W.: Vergleich laparoskopischer und szintigraphischer Befunde bei chronischer Hepatitis, Leberzirrhose und Lebertumoren. Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. 100, 129–132 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinikum Großhadern, Radiologische Klinik der Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, D-8000, München 70, Federal Republic of Germany

    U. Scherer, U. Büll, R. Rothe & J. Lissner

  2. Klinikum Großhadern, Medizinische Klinik II der Universität München, D-8000, München 70, Federal Republic of Germany

    J. Eisenburg

  3. Chirurgische Klinik der Universität München, D-8000, München 2, Federal Republic of Germany

    F. W. Schildberg

  4. Pathologisches Institut der Universität München, D-8000, München 2, Federal Republic of Germany

    P. Meister

Authors
  1. U. Scherer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. U. Büll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Rothe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Eisenburg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. W. Schildberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P. Meister
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. J. Lissner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Scherer, U., Büll, U., Rothe, R. et al. Computerized tomography and nuclear imaging of the liver. Eur J Nucl Med 3, 71–80 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00251627

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00251627

Keywords

Search

Navigation