Relation of the size of functional hepatic cell mass to the clearance of indocyanine green.

The correlation between fractional clearance (K) of indocyanine green (ICG) and size of hepatic cell mass altered by functional hepatectomy as well as the degree of hepatic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCI 4) was investigated in the dog. Less than 20% functional hepatectomy produced only a minimal decrease in K of ICG probably due to the potential functional reserve of the liver, while in dogs with more than 70% functional hepatectomy, K of ICG was remarkably decreased. K of ICG was correlated highly with the magnitude of functional hepatectomy, i.e. the size of remaining functional hepatic cell mass. Large doses of CC14 induced remarkable decreases in K of ICG, being correlated positively with the degree of hepatic cell necrosis, and CCI4 in smaller doses rather activated the hepatic cell function as reflected by higher K values. It was concluded that K of ICG was a reliable indicator of function of hepatic cell mass in acute or subacute damage of the hepatic cell.