Hepatic flow scintigraphy in evaluation of hepatic metastases in patients with gastrointestinal malignancy
M. Huguier, S. Maheswari, P. Toussaint, S. Houry, S. Mauban and B. Mensch
Department of Surgery, Hopital Tenon, Paris VI University, France.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of hepatic flow scintigraphy for occult
metastases. DESIGN: Prospective study, 2 years of follow-up. SETTING AND
STUDY PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-nine patients undergoing surgery for
gastrointestinal cancer. INTERVENTION: Preoperative hepatic flow
scintigraphy (3mCi of technetium-99m). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Development of
hepatic metastases. RESULTS: Hepatic flow scintigraphy had a sensitivity of
92% and a specificity of 34%. The positive and negative predictive values
were 15% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic flow scintigraphy
could therefore be useful in identifying patients who are at low risk of
developing metachronous liver metastases and thus avoid unnecessary
adjuvant chemotherapy following resection of the primary tumor.
