[Radionuclide study of liver function in polycythemia vera and other types of polycythemia]

Clinico-laboratory and radionuclide (radio-hepatography with 131I-rose bengal and liver scanning with 198Au colloid solution) investigation of liver function was performed in 110 patients with polycythemia vera during exacerbation, in 16 patients with symptomatic erythrocytosis (10--chronic pulmonary disease, 3--polycystic kidney, 2--obesity, 1--peptic ulcer), and in 11 patients with a polycythemic form of myelofibrosis. The results of the radionuclide method showed disturbed liver function in 51 (46.3%) patients with polycythemia, in 4 patients with myelofibrosis and in 3 with erythrocytosis which were characterized by a decrease in hepatocytic absorptive-excretory function and a decrease in the activity of the reticulo-histiocytic stroma. Liver changes depended on a stage of disease and were detected earlier than with the use of biochemical methods. As distinct from erythrocytes, one-type disorders were noted in the patients with myelofibrosis. Correlation in the lever of RP accumulation in the spleen, its sizes and stage of disease was established. Liver function returned to normal after cytostatic therapy in the patients with stage IIA polycythemia, partially IIB stage, during remission.