Uptake of a Colloid in Rat Liver Following Intravenous Intrasplenic and Intramesenteric Injection

Intramesenteric and intrasplenic injections of 99mTc-sulfur colloid in the rat resulted in significant differences between the mean uptakes in only some of the liver lobes. More important were the wider interlobular variations seen in the intrasplenic and intramesenteric routes of injection compared with the intravenous route. It is suggested that these differences result from laminar blood flow in the portal vein. In the light of our findings, previous evidence must be considered inconclusive. Laminar flow appears to vary between individual animals and may also vary from time to time in the same animal. Caution is therefore advised when other than systemic routes of injection are used.