ABSENCE OF CORRELATION BETWEEN HEPATIC-FUNCTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MIGRATING MOTOR COMPLEXES IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL-TRACT

Background: Cyclic changes in gallbladder filling and emptying during the migrating motor complex (MMC) cycle have been demonstrated by scin tigraphy. However, a possible cyclic change in the hepatic function an d handling of the pharmacologic agents used for scintigraphy during th e MMC cycle could have an influence on these results. The aim of the p resent study was to investigate the hepatic handling of cholic acid an d mebrofenin in relation to the MMCs of the gastrointestinal tract. Me thods: The plasma disappearance rate of C-14-cholic acid and the hepat ic uptake and excretion of Tc-99m-mebrofenin were examined during phas e I and phase II of the MMC in six healthy male volunteers. Results: T he plasma disappearance rate of C-14-cholic acid showed a biexponentia l course with an initial rapid and late slow phase after a bolus injec tion. There were no significant differences between the initial or lat e plasma disappearance rate of C-14-cholic acid during phase I as comp ared with phase II. The results of the time-activity curves from the T c-99m-mebrofenin scintigraphy showed an exponential rapid increase in radioactivity followed by an almost linear slow decrease after a bolus injection. There was no significant difference between phase I and ph ase II in any of the variables studied. Conclusion: The lack of a rela tionship between hepatic handling of cholic acid and mebrofenin and MM C excludes this as a possible source of error in the investigations of the dynamic function of the enterohepatic circulation and especially gallbladder motility by the use of either cholic acids or iminodiaceti c acid derivatives as investigative agents.