Abstract
In order to evaluate the diagnostic significance of liver surface fluorescence after intravenous injection of fluorescein, we performed fluorescence laparoscopy in patients with various liver diseases. In cases of non-specific reactive hepatitis, the fluorescence initially appeared in the portal area and gradually spread in the lobules toward the pericentral area. The fluorescent patterns which became apparent on the liver surface at an early stage indicated the shapes and distibution patterns of the portal area. Fluorescence laparoscopy enabled us to identify the small artery. After fluorescein injection, the whitish markings were recognized as bright fluorescent area, whearas the reddish markings showed non-fluorescent area ; in many cases the contrasts were clearly distinct copared to the ordinary laparoscopic observations and to the observations after intra-venous injection of ICG. In cases of liver cirrhosis, bright fluorescence were seen in dilated lymph vessels. The duration time, from the starting of the intravenous injection of fluorescein to its appearance on the liver surface, appeared to be faster in cases of chronic active hepatitis, and slower in cases of liver cirrhosis, compared to non-specific reactive hepatitis. From the above results, it is suggested that observations of liver surface fluorescence after intravenous injection of fluorescein are useful for diagnoses of liver diseases.
