Tests of pancreatic function using 75Se-selenomethionine

Pancreatic function was investigated in 43 patients using a combination of conventional and subtraction scans of the pancreas and duodenal aspiration of the 75Se-Selenomethionine injected, in the time periods 60-150 minutes, 90-120 minutes and 105-150 minutes after injection. Patients with chronic alcoholism, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic carcinoma, extrahepatic biliary obstruction and liver disease were included. Seven patients with no evidence of gastro-intestinal disease served as controls. Pancreatic scanning provided eight false positive and two false negative results (23.3%) and with 75Se-Selenomethionine excretion at 105-150 minutes, six false results were obtained (14%). In only one patient was a false positive result obtained with both scans and the 75Se-Selenomethionine test. The performance of conventional and subtraction scans of the pancreas with measurement of 75Se-Selenomethionine activity in the duodenal aspirate collected from 105-150 minutes after injection provides a convenient means of testing pancreatic exocrine function in a single three hour session.