Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with 99mTc-PIPIDA in the evaluation of neonatal jaundice

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with technetium 99m-labeled p-isopropylacetanilido iminodiacetic acid (99mTc-PIPIDA) was used to evaluate 22 neonates with mixed jaundice. Ten patients were proved to have biliary atresia; ten others were diagnosed as having neonatal hepatitis. In the remaining two, jaundice was secondary to prolonged hyperalimentation. Initial studies in all ten patients with biliary atresia showed no evidence of excretion of the tracer into the intestinal tract. Following three to seven days of oral administration of phenobarbital, repeat studies were performed in six of the ten patients. None showed evidence of excretion. Initial studies of the 12 patients with intrahepatic cholestasis showed definite excretion in five, questionable evidence of excretion in two, and no demonstrable excretion in five. Studies after phenobarbital therapy in five of the seven patients with questionable or no excretion on the initial studies showed definite excretion in four. Only in one patient who had poor hepatic extraction did the phenobarbital therapy not change the scintigraphic pattern. The authors conclude that hepatobiliary scintigraphy with 99mTc-PIPIDA after three to seven days of phenobarbital therapy is a highly accurate test for differentiating biliary atresia from other causes of neonatal jaundice.