Hepatolienography; past, present, and future

The liver and spleen are among the few structures in the body for which safe and reliable primary contrast roentgen diagnostic procedures have not been established. Hepatolienography with colloidal thorium dioxide2 has been widely performed for many years (65), but this material has fallen into disfavor with many workers, though not all, as a result of a number of cases in which injurious effects presumably related to its use have been reported. Since thorotrast has been in clinical use for over twenty years, there is available a rather large body of pathological and clinical material in which its long-term effects may be studied. It has seemed desirable to attempt an evaluation of these effects, to formulate criteria for an ideal medium for opacification of the liver and spleen, and to report preliminary studies with other media. I. Evaluation of the Effects of Thorotrast Thorotrast is a 25 per cent suspension of thorium dioxide (15 to 20 per cent by weight) with an average particle size of 3 to 10 milli...