Fecal131I-Output After Intravenous Injection of131I-Labelled Human Serum Albumin in Normo- and Hypoproteinemic Subjects

The i tit roductiolti of 131 I -labelled ply vinylpyrrolidoae (131I-PVP) (Gordon, 1959) has made it possible to establish the presence of an abaosmal gastrointestinal leakage of plas ma proteins. After intravenous injectlion of the high molecular polymere, an abnormally high amount will escape from the blolold to the gastrointestinal tract and can be recovered in the stools as it is left unchanged by the digestive enzymes. Similarly, some of the intravenously s~upplied 131I-albumin will leak out, but being a protein it is split by enzymatic breakdolwti, and most of the label is reabsorbed and leaves the boldy via the kidneys. Only a fraction of 1311 remains in the gut and the amount eventually passed oln in the stools will be much less than the amount leaked out. ₖtually this was the rationale for introducing an inert substance like P\/'P. However, no report has been published on the fecal 1311-excretion following intravenous 131I-albumin injection in normoproteinemic subjects and patients suffering from hypoyroteinemia of various origin. Below such