Hepatobiliary scintigraphy and the string test in the evaluation of neonatal cholestasis

We evaluated [99mTc]diisopropylphenyl-carbamoylmethylimidodiacetic acid ([99mTc]DISIDA) cholescintigraphy with measurement of duodenal fluid radioactivity collected by the string test in patients with neonatal cholestasis. Twenty-six infants with prolonged jaundice and acholic stools were studied prospectively. Twelve patients had neonatal hepatitis, 12 biliary atresia, and one each Alagille syndrome and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency liver disease. All infants except the biliary atresia patients and four of the neonatal hepatitis patients revealed bowel activity on scan 6 h after tracer administration. At 24 h, three of these latter patients with neonatal hepatitis and two of the patients with biliary atresia revealed bowel activity. String radioactive counts for neonatal hepatitis ranged from 99,574 to 967,205 cpm (374,504 +/- 232,210 cpm; mean +/- SD) and for biliary atresia from 8,342 to 370,346 cpm (117,149 +/- 98,698 cpm; mean +/- SD). While neither test alone was capable of correctly differentiating among all patients, those patients with biliary atresia had either a negative hepatobiliary scan at 24 h or string radioactive count below 197,007 cpm. Disparity between the hepatobiliary scan and the string radioactive counts mandates further diagnostic investigation. These data suggest that simultaneous administration of the string test with hepatobiliary scintigraphy is advantageous in the evaluation of infants with cholestatic jaundice.     

Diagnostic utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy with 99mTc-DISIDA in neonatal cholestasis

We retrospectively evaluated the utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy and various clinical factors in differentiating intrahepatic cholestasis from biliary atresia in 28 consecutive infants with neonatal cholestasis. One millicurie of technetium-labeled diisopropyliminodiacetic acid (DISIDA) was administered intravenously, and images were obtained for up to 24 hours or until gastrointestinal excretion was noted. Nine separate studies in seven infants with biliary atresia were correctly interpreted as showing no gastrointestinal excretion of radionuclide. Of the 21 patients with intrahepatic cholestasis, only nine had gastrointestinal excretion on the first study; in eight without excretion, a second study was done, and five of these showed gut excretion. All infants with either neonatal hepatitis (six) or inspissated bile syndrome (three) had demonstrable gastrointestinal excretion either on the first or second DISIDA study. However, five of six infants with paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, two of six infants with cholestasis secondary to total parenteral nutrition, and one infant with cholangiolitis did not show evidence of gastrointestinal excretion. The mean birth weight, mean gestational age, and mean weight at study were significantly greater (P less than 0.005) for infants with biliary atresia without excretion than for infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion. The mean direct bilirubin concentration was 6.0 mg/dL for both infants with biliary atresia and infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion; however, infants with excretion had a significantly lower (P less than 0.02) mean direct bilirubin value of 3.4 mg/dL. Excretion was noted in four infants with total bilirubin values greater than 10.0 mg/dL. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study was 100% sensitive but only 43% specific for biliary atresia. In infants without gut excretion of DISIDA, birth weight greater than 2200 g was 100% sensitive and 92% specific for biliary atresia. We conclude that DISIDA scanning, together with clinical data, is useful in differentiating extrahepatic from intrahepatic cholestasis. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study does not necessarily indicate extrahepatic obstruction; the study should be repeated if the diagnosis is not clear.     

Apparent gut excretion of Tc-99m-DISIDA in a case of extrahepatic biliary atresia

Our patient had DISIDA scan at 39 days of age to exclude biliary atresia. Gut excretion was seen 18h after injection and the diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis was made. Because of continued elevated liver function values, liver biopsy was performed and demonstrated findings consistent with biliary atresia. Exploratory laparotomy performed 8 days after the scan showed patent cystic duct, bile duct, and gall-bladder, but an atretic common hepatic duct. This case is an example of documented biliary atresia demonstrating gut excretion on the DISIDA scan.     

Progress in the treatment of biliary atresia: a plea for surgical intervention within the first two months of life in infants with persistent cholestasis

During the period 1984–1991. 21 infants with biliary atresia were treated with Kasai's portoentcr-ostorny. The median survival in infants operated on before the age of 60 days (55 (range 5–82) months) was significantly longer than the survival of children operated on after the age of 60 days (15 (1.5 38) months). At present there arc 10 survivors with a median age of 54 (17–96) months: 6 with portoenterostomy and 4 after liver transplantation. Eight patients died of progressive liver failure and 3 died of causes not related 10 biliary atresia. Apart from blood tests, ultrasonography was the most important investigation bcfore laparotomy in infants with cholestatic jaundice. Scintigraphy and liver biopsy added no further decisive information. Because early diagnosis and surgical treatment is important. only the well documented presence of a normal gallbladder can warrant postponement of an operation.     

Definitive exclusion of biliary atresia in infants with cholestatic jaundice: the role of percutaneous cholecysto-cholangiography

Definitive exclusion of biliary atresia in the infant with cholestatic jaundice usually requires operative cholangiography. This approach suffers from the disadvantage that sick infants are subjected to a time-consuming and potentially negative surgical exploration. The purpose of this study was to determine if percutaneous cholecystocholangiography (PCC) prevents unnecessary laparotomy in infants whose cholestasis is caused by diseases other than biliary atresia. This study is a 10 year retrospective review of all infants with persistent direct hyperbilirubinemia and inconclusive biliary nuclear scans who underwent further evaluation for suspected biliary atresia. A gallbladder ultrasound (US) was obtained in all patients. When the gallbladder was visualized, further imaging by PCC was done under intravenous sedation; otherwise, the standard operative cholangiogram (OCG) was performed, with liver biopsy as indicated. The primary outcome was the diagnostic accuracy of PCC, especially with respect to preventing a laparotomy. There were 35 infants with suspected biliary atresia, with a mean age of 8 weeks (range 1-14 weeks). Nine infants whose gallbladder was visualized by ultrasound underwent PCC that definitively excluded biliary atresia. Of this group, the most frequent diagnosis (five patients) was total parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis. The other 26 infants with absent or decompressed gallbladder had laparotomy and OCG, which identified biliary atresia in 16 patients (61%). Laparotomy was avoided in all 9 patients who underwent PCC, thus reducing the negative laparotomy rate by 47%. There were no complications associated with PCC. Several alternative techniques to operative cholangiogram have been described for the definitive exclusion of biliary atresia, but many of these have distinct drawbacks. Advances in interventional radiology techniques have permitted safe percutaneous contrast evaluation of the biliary tree. Identification of a normal gall bladder on sonogram is highly predictive of the absence of biliary atresia. Further confirmation can be accurately obtained by a combination of PCC and percutaneous liver biopsy.     

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with technetium-99m disofenin in the evaluation of neonatal cholestasis

To assess the reliability of technetium-99m disofenin scanning in evaluating neonatal cholestasis, 33 neonates (less than 3 months of age) with direct hyperbilirubinemia were evaluated prospectively by cholescintigraphy. Results of this test were compared to those of standard serum tests of liver function, ultrasonography, and liver biopsy. The diagnosis of biliary atresia was suggested by a serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) greater than 300 units/L, absence of the gallbladder on ultrasonography, and a lack of detectable radioisotope in the gastrointestinal and/or extrahepatic biliary tract on cholescintigraphy. Each of these tests lacked sensitivity and/or specificity when compared to liver biopsy. Of the nine neonates with biliary atresia, three had gallbladders identified by ultrasonography and two had gamma-GTP less than 300 units/L. Of the 24 neonates without biliary atresia, eight had cholescintigraphy without detectable radioisotope excretion, four had ultrasonography that failed to visualize the gallbladder, and nine had gamma-GTP greater than 300 units/L. Cholescintigraphy excluded the diagnosis of biliary atresia when gut and/or extrahepatic biliary excretion of isotope was seen. However, cholescintigraphy required more time, 6-8 days, and was less specific than ultrasonography and liver biopsy. We recommend that cholescintigraphy should not be routinely used in evaluating neonatal cholestasis, especially if it delays surgical intervention.     

Gallengangsatresie

Biliary atresia is an obliterative cholangiopathy with progressive hepatobiliary disease starting from the perinatal period. With a frequency of 1:15,000 live births biliary atresia is the commonest cause of live threatening liver disease in infants and fatal if untreated. Prognosis is poor unless early diagnosis is followed by surgical treatment. Clinical aspect, liver function tests, szintigraphy, histology and increasingly ultrasound techniques are used to discriminate other causes of neonatal cholestasis. 10 year survival of all children with biliary atresia including those transplanted for end stage liver disease is around 70%.     

The Canadian Biliary Atresia Registry: Improving the care of Canadian infants with biliary atresia

Biliary atresia is the most common cause of end-stage liver disease and liver cirrhosis in children, and the leading indication for liver transplantation in the paediatric population. There is no cure for biliary atresia; however, timely diagnosis and early infant age at surgical intervention using the Kasai portoenterostomy optimize the prognosis. Late referral is a significant problem in Canada and elsewhere. There is also a lack of standardized care practices among treating centres in this country. Biliary atresia registries currently exist across Europe, Asia and the United States. They have provided important evidence-based information to initiate changes to biliary atresia care in their countries with improvements in outcome. The Canadian Biliary Atresia Registry was initiated in 2013 for the purpose of identifying best standards of care, enhancing public education, facilitating knowledge translation and advocating for novel national public health policy programs to improve the outcomes of Canadian infants with biliary atresia.     

Imaging of biliary disorders in children

Biliary atresia and related disorders of the biliary tree, such as choledochal cyst, must be considered in the differential diagnosis of prolonged conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in infants and children. Pediatric biliary tract diseases include a variety of entities with a wide range of clinical presentations. Radiology plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of these pathologies. Unrecognized causes of biliary disease, like biliary atresia, can lead to liver transplantation during the first year of life. The aim of this article is to review the imaging of pediatric biliary disorders, including the implications of interventional radiology in some biliary diseases.     

Lack of correlation between infection with reovirus 3 and extrahepatic biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis

Infection with reovirus 3 (Reo-3) has been suggested as the cause of extrahepatic biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, but confirmation has been lacking. Therefore we have searched for a specific anti-Reo-3 antibody response in the sera of patients with biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis and for Reo-3 antigens in their hepatobiliary tissues. Sera from 23 infants with extrahepatic biliary atresia, 12 with neonatal hepatitis, 30 age-matched control patients with other liver diseases, and 55 control patients without liver disease were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for total (IgA, IgG, and IgM) anti-Reo-3 antibodies; sera of infants younger than 6 months of age were tested also for IgM anti-Reo-3 antibodies alone. There was no difference between either total or IgM anti-Reo-3 antibody levels in infants with extrahepatic biliary atresia or neonatal hepatitis and levels in control infants. Reo-3 antigens were not detected in the hepatobiliary tissues of 19 infants (18 with biliary atresia, one with neonatal hepatitis) by an immunoperoxidase method that readily demonstrated Reo-3 in control infected HEp-G2 cells. Our data do not support a relationship between neonatal liver diseases and infection with Reo-3.     

Prolonged neonatal jaundice and the diagnosis of biliary atresia: a single-center analysis of trends in age at diagnosis and outcomes

Age at diagnosis is a modifiable risk factor in outcomes after hepatoportoenterostomy in biliary atresia; however, distinguishing biliary atresia from other more common causes of prolonged neonatal jaundice can be difficult. To focus attention on diagnosis of biliary atresia, we analyzed secular trends in the age at diagnosis, and other factors that might influence outcome. We performed a retrospective analysis of 55 consecutive infants with biliary atresia presenting to a single academic pediatric center over 15-year period from 1990 to 2004. The median age at diagnosis was 60 days (range: 21-152). In recent era (2000-2004), the median age was 69.0 days, compared with 48.5 days (1990-1994) and 59.5 days (1995-1999), respectively. Consistent with previous studies, the median age at diagnosis of those with poor outcomes (death or liver transplant) exceeded those with good outcomes after the hepatoportoenterostomy (72 vs 52 days, P < .001). The lack of improvement, or a concerning trends toward an increase in the age at diagnosis of biliary atresia, is perhaps attributable to neonatal follow-up practices. Efforts to make an earlier diagnose of this important condition deserve wider application and study.     

Biliary atresia: an update on our understanding of the disorder.

Biliary atresia is the leading cause of cholestasis in infants younger than 3 months. It is also the leading indication for liver transplantation in children. This review focuses on recent advances in the etiology, diagnosis, and management of biliary atresia.     

Extrahepatic biliary atresia versus neonatal hepatitis. Review of 137 prospectively investigated infants.

In a prospective regional survey of neonatal hepatitis syndrome 32 infants had extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) and 103 had hepatitis. No cause for the lesion was found in infants with extrahepatic biliary atresia, but in 32 with hepatitis a specific cause was identified, 24 having genetic deficiency of the serum protein alpha1-antitrypsin. No differences were observed in parental age, mother's health in pregnancy, month of birth, birth order, or sex of the infants. Familial idiopathic hepatitis occurred in 3 of 67 sibs of patients with idiopathic hepatitis, but the 33 sibs of EHBA patients had no liver disease. Of the infants with hepatitis, 36 were of low birthweight, less than 2.5 kg, and 23 were born prematurely. Infants with biliary atresia were all of normal birthweight and only one was born prematurely. Consideration of clinical and biochemical abnormalities in the first 2 months of life showed no differences between the two groups except that infants with EHBA were more commonly jaundiced from birth (80%) and had more frequently acholic stools (83%). The frequency of these features in patients with hepatitis being 68% and 52%. Standard tests of liver function were not discriminatory. Percutaneous liver biopsies were diagnostic in 75% of those with EHBA and in 92% of those with hepatitis. The I131 Rose Bengal faecal excretion was less than 10% in 26 of 28 infants with EHBA and in only 5 of 18 with hepatitis. These latter two investigations together allowed a correct preoperativer diagnosis of EHBA in all instances. Bile drainage was achieved surgically in only 3 cases. A major reason for these poor results may have been the late referral of cases for diagnosis and laparotomy, which should be performed as soon as the diagnosis is suspected and always by 70 days of age.     

Extrahepatische Gallenwegserkrankungen im S?uglingsalter

Biliary atresia and choledochal cysts are diseases of the extrahepatic biliary system in infants. Both conditions can also affect the intrahepatic bile ducts. The pathophysiology is characterized by chronic inflammation and surgical therapy is a central component in management in both diseases and impacts the prognosis. Replacement of an abnormal biliary tract by a small bowel loop can provide definitive treatment of either choledochal cysts or biliary atresia. In biliary atresia with hepatic portoenterostomy (Kasai operation) biliary cirrhosis is a more frequent outcome of surgery than for choledochal cysts. Therefore, liver transplantation is a cornerstone of therapy for these patients. Timely diagnosis and management in specialized centers are important for outcome. This article reviews new aspects of the pathophysiology, therapy, and prognosis of biliary atresia and choledochal cysts.     

Autoantibodies, Immunoglobulins and Hepatitis B Antigen in Children with Chronic Liver Disease

Dubois, R. S. (1976). Aust. paediat. J. , 12, 163–166. Autoantibodies, immunoglohulins and hepatitis B antigen in children with chronic liver disease. Smooth muscle antibody, mitochondrial antibody, serum immunoglobulin levels and hepatitis-B antigen (HBAg) were measured in the sera of 20 children with extra-hepatic biliary atresia, 8 with intra-hepatic biliary atresia and 6 with post-hepatitic (neonatal) cirrhosis. Smooth muscle antibody was not found in any patient with post-hepatitic cirrhosis, but was present in 4 of 20 patients with extra-hepatic and in 4 of 8 with intra-hepatic biliary atresia. Serum immunoglobulins, particularly IgA. were elevated in the presence of cirrhosis. Serum IgA was markedly elevated in those infants with hepatic decompensation. No patient had mitochondrial antibody, despite the presence of prolonged extra- or intra-hepatic biliary obstruction. HBAg was negative in all patients.     

血清γ-谷氨酰转肽酶联合直接胆红素诊断婴儿胆道闭锁的价值

目的 探讨血清γ-谷氨酰转肽酶（GGT）联合直接胆红素（DB）对胆道闭锁的诊断价值。方法 选取2010年7月至2018年12月住院治疗的胆汁淤积症患儿667例为研究对象,根据术中胆管造影结果和随访情况,将患儿分为胆道闭锁组（n=234）和胆汁淤积组（n=433）。比较两组的发病年龄、性别,以及血清总胆红素（TB）、DB、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、总胆汁酸（TBA）、GGT水平。将有统计学意义的指标纳入受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）分析,计算ROC曲线下面积（AUC）和最佳诊断界值。结果 胆道闭锁组患儿发病年龄早于胆汁淤积组（P < 0.001）。两组患儿性别、ALT及AST水平比较差异无统计学意义（P > 0.05）。胆道闭锁组TB、DB、TBA、GGT水平显著高于胆汁淤积组（P < 0.05）。GGT联合DB诊断胆道闭锁的AUC最大,为0.892（95% CI：0.868~0.916）。当GGT取值为324.0 U/L,DB取值为115.1 μmol/L时,GGT与DB联合诊断胆道闭锁的敏感度和特异度分别为79.8%、83.2%。结论 GGT联合DB诊断胆道闭锁的敏感度和特异度较高,可作为诊断胆道闭锁的有效指标之一。     

Evaluation of mebrofenin hepatoscintigraphy in neonatal-onset jaundice

Background. The prognosis of infants with prolonged neonatal jaundice is dependent on early diagnosis because of the need for prompt surgical management of biliary atresia. Objective. To evaluate the usefulness of ^{99 m}Tc^m-trimethylbromo-iminodiacetic acid (TBIDA, mebrofenin) in the investigation of infantile jaundice. Materials and methods. A retrospective study was undertaken of 58 patients with unexplained prolonged neonatal jaundice. Sixty-eight scans were reviewed. Results. Mebrofenin scintigraphy confirmed the presence of a choledochal cyst in three of the four cases with that diagnosis. There were no false negative results in the nine patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA). Three further infants had an incorrect histological diagnosis of EHBA. A gall bladder was identified by US in each case and in one of these, scintigraphy showed gut excretion. In the 16 patients with no gut excretion by 24 h, the final diagnoses were intrahepatic cholestasis (n = 7), Alagille's syndrome (n = 3), neonatal hepatitis (n = 3), alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (n = 2) and juvenile xanthogranuloma (n = 1). Seven infants had repeat scintigraphy after the administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (URSO). This changed five non-excretors with hepatitis into excretors. Two infants with hepatitis continued to show non-excretion after URSO, but a gallbladder was identified by US in both. Conclusions. Mebrofenin scintigraphy is accurate in confirming the presence of a choledochal cyst and in refuting the diagnosis of EHBA. While histology and scintigraphy are each 100 % sensitive for the diagnosis of EHBA, neither, individually, is accurate and the investigation of prolonged neonatal jaundice requires a multi-modality imaging strategy. Received: 15 January 1998 Accepted: 8 April 1998     

婴儿巨细胞病毒感染与胆道闭锁的关系

目的　探讨巨细胞病毒 (CMV)感染与胆道闭锁的关系 ,了解婴儿CMV肝炎并胆道闭锁的临床特点。方法　对确诊为CMV感染并胆道闭锁 1 6例患儿的临床资料进行回顾性分析 ,并与同期诊断为单纯CMV肝炎 2 9例患儿进行比较。结果　CMV感染并胆道闭锁患儿血清CMV IgM抗体和外周血多形核白细胞中CMV pp65抗原均阳性 9例 ,IgM阳性 1例 ,仅pp65阳性3例 ,IgM和pp65均阴性 3例 (但其肝组织CMV pp65阳性 )。 1 5例肝组织标本中CMV pp65阳性 1 4例。CMV感染并胆道闭锁患儿各项指标明显重于有黄疸的单纯CMV肝炎 (P均 <0 .0 5) ,肝组织病理检查 1 5例显示胆小管增生伴肝纤维化 ,继发性胆汁性肝硬化 2例。结论　CMV感染可同时累及肝细胞和胆管上皮细胞 ,导致胆管闭锁。对以胆汁淤积为主要表现且已明确为CMV感染患儿应警惕是否并胆道闭锁 ,避免丧失手术治疗机会。     

Cholangiocarcinoma associated with biliary cirrhosis due to congenital biliary atresia.

An 11-year-old girl developed cholangiocellular carcinoma in association with biliary cirrhosis due to congenital biliary atresia. An exploratory laparotomy and an operative cholangiogram at 3 months of age had confirmed the diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary atresia. A liver biopsy specimen taken at 6 months of age showed biliary cirrhosis. The subsequent clinical course was characterized by persistent moderate jaundice, anemia, malnutrition, rickets, pathologic fractures, and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding. The presence of cholangiocellular carcinoma of the liver with advanced biliary cirrhosis was established at an exploratory laparotomy a week before her death. We discuss here the pathogenesis of biliary cirrhosis and carcinoma of the liver; there may be a relation between the two in the childhood population.