Tc-99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy in differentiating fat sparing from lymphomatous involvement of liver-old wine in new bottle

Hepatic mass lesions and focal fat sparing in a fatty liver may be difficult to differentiate on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) imaging and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT. ^99mTc Sulfur colloid (SC) scintigraphy has been used in the assessment of solid hepatic masses. Liver metastases will appear as focal photopenic defects due to the loss of Kupffer cell function. However, focal fatty infiltration or fat sparing of the liver does not affect Kupffer cell function and thereby leading to normal tracer uptake. Despite several advances in imaging modalities, ^99mTc SC scintigraphy is still a reliable armamentarium in the characterization of hepatic mass lesions. (author)