Quantitative Evaluation of Postembolized Splenic Tissue Using Technetium-99m Sulfur Colloid

Tc-99m sulfur colloid scans were used to quantitate the percent of residual splenic tissue after partial splenic embolization (PSE) performed for the treatment of hypersplenlsm in 17 renal transplant patients. A liverspleen phantom was designed which simulated the human liver and spleen configuration to evaluate the technique. This phantom contained a solution of tc-99m sulfur colloid, which allowed precise quantities of the spleen phantom volume to be displaced using lucite pseudo-emboli. After each lucite embolus, computer images of the spleen phantom were collected and analyzed in the same manner used for the transplant patients. Correlation of the actual volume displaced or embolized with the computer estimated values was 0.996 (P < 0.001). This technique was superior to both CT and MRI, which were more difficult to perform and less precise in measuring a decrease in postlnfarction functioning splenic tissue.