Portal scanning for liver metastases in colorectal carcinoma

In a prospective study over 2 years, 14 patients suffering from colorectal cancer had radionuclide liver scans performed via the portal route. Technetium-99m-labelled macro-aggregates of human serum albumen were injected via the cannulated umbilical vein, distributed through the portal system of the liver and their presence recorded by a gamma camera. Of 11 patients with clinically normal livers and no metastases found at laparotomy, five had abnormal portal scans, two of these dying from multiple liver metastases during follow-up. None of the patients with normal portal scans died with liver metastases within the 2-year study period.