Use of perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB)to detect liver abscesses with computed tomography: Safety and efficacy

Robert F. Mattrey, Jeffrey J. Brown, Richard E. Shelton, Mark T. Ogino, Kevin K. Johnson, Roxane M. Mitten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) is known to stimulate macrophages, particulates given intravenously (IV) can inhibit the body's response to infection by blocking the reticuloendothelial system. Since PFOB enhances abscesses on computed tomography (CT), the authors evaluated its safety and efficacy by assessing the mortality and abscess volume in 104 rabbits with intrahepatic abscesses given either PFOB or lactated Ringer's (LR), and by comparing its efficacy to that of 76% meglumine sodium diatrizoate (MSD76). Abscesses were produced by injecting a virulent strain ofE. coli into the liver. Two days later, five of the rabbits had died. Of the remaining rabbits, 50 were given 5 g/kg PFOB IV, and 49 were given They were killed before the second CT scan. Thirty seconds before being killed, 28 rabb an equal volume of LR. All rabbits had a CT scan at four and at ten days after infusion.its given LR were given a bolus of 2 ml/kg MSD76 IV. Following CT, rabbits were frozen, sliced, and photographed. Abscess volumes were calculated by digitizing the photographs of the anatomic sections and the CT images. MSD76 enhanced the liver by 105 Hounsfield units (HU) more than the liquefied abscess center. The abscess wall enhanced to the same degree as liver, resulting in nonvisualization of three of six abscesses less than 3 mm in size, and a 30% underestimation of true abscess volume. PFOB also enhanced the liver more than the abscess center, but more importantly, it markedly enhanced the abscess wall, which differed from liver and the abscess center by 96 and 148 HU, respectively, at four days, and 141 and 186 HU, respectively, at ten days after infusion. Because PFOB enhanced the abscess wall and areas of inflammation distant from the abscess center, it allowed the detection of all seven abscesses less than 3 mm in size, and resulted in 20% under and overestimation of true abscess volume when the inner and outer margins of the abscess wall were traced, respectively. There was no difference in abscess volume between the PFOB group (2.2±2 0.4 mL) and the MSD76 group (2.1 ± 0.4 mL). Nontechnical deaths that could be related to treatment were similar (2 died before infusion, 2 after PFOB, and 1 after MSD76). PFOB is more efficacious than conventional contrast media in hepatic abscess imaging.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)792-798
Number of pages7
JournalInvestigative Radiology
Volume26
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1991

Keywords

  • Animal model
  • Contrast media
  • Liver abscess
  • Perfluorochemicals
  • X-ray computed tomography

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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