TC-99M-labeled red blood cell scintigraphy in the investigation of patients with hepatic carvenous hemangioma

ABSTRACT

Objective to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 99m tc-red blood cell scintigraphy in the diagnosis of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas. Patients and methods sixty three patients, 56 females [89%] and 7 males [11%], with ages between 22 and 54 years [median 33 years] were investigated for liver masses found on ultrasonography of the abdomen. All the patients had undergone 99m tc-liver-spleen scan followed 99m tc-red blood cells scintigraphy. The size of the lesions ranged between 3 and 9 cm. The final diagnosis was reached through cytology, and/or histopathology or follow up for more than 3 years. Results a total of 70 lesions were found as a single lesion in 60 patients and multiple [i.e. total of 10 lesions] in the other 3 patients. The results of 99m tc-red blood cells scintigraphy, compared to the results of the final diagnosis, showed sensitivity and specificity rates of 100% and 89% respectively positive and negative predictive values of 98% and 100% repectively, and accuracy rate of 98.6%. a single false positive case was a hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion 99m tc-red blood cell scintigraphy is highly accurate in the diagnosis of liver cavernous hemangioma and should characterize liver mass found on ultrasonography and suspected for hemangioma