A comparison of liver-spleen ratios and uptakes obtained using planar and tomographic techniques

Liver-spleen ratio, volume and uptake were measured in 20 patients undergoing routine 99Tcm-colloid examinations. Methods using planar views only were compared with results obtained using SPECT techniques and automated slice processing. The results suggest that a reasonable estimate of liver-spleen ratio may be obtained using anterior and posterior planar views only. Estimates of organ volume and absolute uptake were not reliably obtained using planar views only, and SPECT studies are required. The choice of attenuation correction technique for SPECT studies did not affect the results obtained for liver-spleen ratios and volumes, although systematic underestimation of absolute uptake occurred with simpler techniques.