CHANGE IN SIZE, SHAPE AND RADIOCOLLOID UPTAKE OF THE ALCOHOLIC LIVER DURING ALCOHOL-WITHDRAWAL, AS DEMONSTRATED BY SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY

The volume of the total liver and separate right and left lobes was st udied before and after 1 week of alcohol withdrawal in 16 consecutive alcoholics by means of single photon emission computed tomography afte r intravenous injection of Tc-99(m)-human albumin colloid; the relativ e tissue distribution of radioactivity was also followed. The left liv er lobe increased in volume more than the right lobe during drinking a nd decreased more rapidly after alcohol withdrawal. Median volume redu ctions during 1 week of alcohol withdrawal were: total liver 12%, left lobe 26%, and right lobe 8%, indicating that half of the reduction to values of a: control group was achieved during this first week. The v olume of the right but not of the left lobe was significantly correlat ed to body size in alcoholics and in controls. The left lobe had a low er capacity to concentrate the radiocolloid than the right lobe in alc oholics and in controls. The liver/spleen, liver/bone marrow and liver /background radioactivity concentration ratios in the alcoholics incre ased during alcohol withdrawal. We conclude that heavy drinking causes both an increased total liver volume and a change in liver shape, wit h a relatively more enlarged left than right lobe, as well as a decrea sed capacity to concentrate radiocolloid. These changes are rapidly re versible during abstinence from alcohol. (C) Journal of Hepatology.