Radionuclide assessment of LeVeen shunt patency

Patients with an initially satisfactory result following placement of a LeVeen peritoneo-venous shunt for intractable ascites may reaccumulate massive ascites. Determination of the etiology of such is a difficult problem. We describe a simple method using intraperitoneal injection of Technetium--99m sulfur colloid and three gamma camera scintiphotos of the chest and abdomen to allow prompt determination of shunt occlusions as the cause.