Radioiodinated triolein in malabsorption states.

In the light of the difficulties and inadequacies of established methods in the investigation of intestinal malabsorption the report by Stanley and Thannhauser (1949) that radioiodinated olive oil might provide an index of fat absorption appeared to be of considerable interest. Subsequent investigators in America, using a pure neutral fat, triolein, similarly iodinated, have reported on the studies of levels of stool, urine, and blood radioactivity in various diseased states. Variations in technique and in the criteria for interpretation of results have resulted in conflicting claims regarding the relative value of blood and stool analysis after an oral dose of radioiodinated triolein. The results therefore are reported here of an investigation undertaken to test the hypothesis put forward by the group of workers from the Duke University School of Medicine, North Carolina (Ruffin, Shingleton, Baylin, Hymans, Isley, Sanders, and Sohmer, 1956; Ruffin, Keever, and Chears, 1957; Shingleton, Baylin, Isley, Sanders, and Ruffin, 1957a; Shingleton, Isley, Floyd, Sanders, Baylin, Postlethwait, and Ruffin, 1957b; Isley, Sanders, Baylin, Sharpe, Hymans, Ruffin, Shingleton, and Wilson, 1957; Ruffin, Keever, Chears, Shingleton, Baylin, Isley, and Sanders, 1958) that an " invariable inverse relationship exists between the radioactive material in blood and stool" after an oral dose of radioiodinated triolein. The opportunity was also taken to study simultaneously the urinary radioactivity.