Radionuclide Assessment of LeVeen Shunt Patency

Abstract

Patients with an initially satisfactory result following placement of a LeVeen peritoneo-venous shunt for intractable ascites may reaccumulate massive ascites. Determination of the etiology of such is a difficult problem. A simple method using i.p. injection of 99mTc sulfur colloid and 3 .gamma. camera scintiphotos of the chest and abdomen to allow prompt determination of shunt occlusion as the cause were described.