[Diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma with simplified double 99mTc labelling]

The authors report on their experience with liver hemangioma (LH) diagnosis by means of a simplified method--that is, the simultaneous, in vivo, double labelling of liver reticuloendothelial system (RES) and of red blood cells (RBC) by 99mTc. Twenty-eight patients with US diagnosis of suspected LH and 15 controls were examined after sequential iv injection of SnCl2, of 99mTc-mucolloid albumin and, after liver scintigraphy, of 99mTc-pertechnetate to conclude in vivo RBC labelling. All patients underwent CT and, if necessary, CT-guided biopsy. Focal colloid defects filled after RBC labelling were shown in 20/22 patients with unquestionable LH. No colloid defects were shown in 6/28 cases (expansive process). 15/15 controls showed unchanged non-filling defects after double labelling. Finally, the authors point out that, in the diagnosis of LH, sequential double labelling of liver RES and RBC appears to be a quicker scintigraphic technique than conventional ones. Moreover, this technique has the same high specificity and sensitivity as more time-consuming ones.