CLINICAL-APPLICATIONS OF ICG FINGER MONITOR IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER-DISEASE

The indocyanine green (ICG) Finger Monitor system is a non-invasive in dication of ICG concentrations in the blood. In this study, significan t correlation was found between the sensor signal voltage and plasma I CG concentrations ranging from 0.04 mg/dl to 1.0 mg/dl (r = 0.998, P < 0.001) in vivo. The ICG clearance curve showed an initial sharp rise 20-30 s after bolus injection, followed by a small rise. The concentra tion then deceased exponentially. In 196 patients with chronic liver d isease, there was a close correlation between the KICG (plasma disappe arance rate) and R15 (blood retention ratio at 15 min) (r = 0.886, P < 0.001, r = 0.912, P < 0.001) and corresponding values calculated by t he conventional ICG method. In 263 cases with chronic liver disease, t he plasma disappearance rates calculated using this monitor (mean +/- S.D.) were 0.156 +/- 0.064 (n = 20) in the control group, 0.129 +/- 0. 060 (n = 92) in the chronic hepatitis group, 0.048 +/- 0.025 (n = 59) in the cirrhosis group and 0.059 +/- 0.03, Oz = 92) in the group with hepatocellular carcinoma. A significant difference in the plasma disap pearance rate and blood retention ratios 15 min after injection of ICG using this system was observed between control cases and the chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis groups (P < 0.0001). In 36 cases, the time fro m injection to the appearance of ICG in the fingertip significantly de creased in the cirrhosis group (P < 0.01). The ICG Finger Monitor syst em was shown to be useful clinically as well as for research due to it s accuracy and non-invasive nature.