Hepatic radionuclide planar imaging

99mTc colloid scans, hepatobiliary scans with IDA derivatives, 67Ga scans, and labeled red blood cells or indium-labeled white blood cells are the major imaging procedures that are currently widely available to visualize the liver. The use of labeled antibodies to a specific tumor is being explored as an investigative procedure but is complicated by the high circulating background activity. In this overview of planar liver radionuclide imaging, it was emphasized that these procedures are noninvasive, may be performed at the bedside, are inexpensive, and provide important data for formulating the further investigation of intrahepatic masses, gallbladder disease, vascular and inflammatory diseases. The functional status of the liver is the basis of the radionuclide imaging procedures, and the more accurate anatomic technique do not give these data.