PREDICTION OF POSTOPERATIVE DECOMPENSATED LIVER-FUNCTION BY TC-99M GALACTOSYL HUMAN SERUM-ALBUMIN LIVER SCINTIGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA COMPLICATING CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

Background Preoperative technetium-99m galactosyl-human serum albumin (Tc-GSA) liver scintigraphy may predict postoperative decompensated li ver function and its value has been investigated in patients having re section of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Hepatic uptake rati o of Tc-GSA (LHL15) was measured before operation in 30 patients. Post operative complications were analysed retrospectively and compared wit h LHL15 values and other indicators evaluating hepatic function. Resul ts The LHL15 of 22 patients without complications was 0.91 or more, co mpared with 0.90 or less in the eight patients who had complications. Multifactorial analyses showed that LHL15 and Child-Pugh grade signifi cantly predicted postoperative complications (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.011 1 respectively). LHL15 was a significant predictor of complications in patients with Child-Pugh grade B disease (n = 15, P = 0.0011). Conclu sion LHL15 was a reliable preoperative indicator of the risk of major postoperative complications in patients who had resection for HCC.