Possible role of the scintigraphic estimation of the relative liver perfusion in the diagnosis and therapy of liver carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is evaluation of the possible role of the scintigraphic estimation of the relative liver perfusion in diagnosis and the choice of treatment of liver carcinomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hepatic perfusion index was obtained by dynamic scintigraphy in 126 patients. RESULTS: In the control group values did not differ from the value in the patients with benign tumors (p > 0.05). However, in hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases of different tumors, HPI values were significantly decreased in comparison to controls and benign tumors (p < 0.01), but they didn't differ between themselves (p > 0.05). The values were especially low in the patients with malignant diseases in the liver accosciated with vascular disturbances in the portal system. CONCLUSION: HRA could be easily done during the different conventional nuclear medicine methods. It can be an useful method for the assessment of different degrees of hemodynamic alterations in portal system, for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liver tumors, as well as for assessment of the liver tissue and tumor perfusion, which might be helpful in the decision making for the undertaking of intraarterial (radionuclide, chemotherapy etc.) therapy.

Helicobacter pylori infection in various groups of patients studied, estimated by 14C-urea breath test.

The aim of this study was the detection of helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and estimation of the clinical validity and the accuracy of the 14C-urea breath test in the groups of patients studied. A total of 248 patients with gastric diseases were examined. There were 38 patients with gastric ulcer, 41 with duodenal ulcer, 43 with gastroduodenitis erosiva, 26 with hiatus hernia, 36 with gastric carcinoma and 64 patients with gastritis. There were 103 true positive (TP), 139 true negative (TN), 4 false negative (FN) and 2 false positive (FP) patients. There was no significant difference in the incidence of the HP infection between the groups of patients studied (p > 0.05). Sensitivity of the method was 96.3%, specificity 98.6%, positive predictive value 98.1%, negative predictive value 97.2% and accuracy 97.6%. Our results point out that the method is very accurate for the detection of HP infection.