Hepatic Lobar Distribution of Splenic and Mesenteric Blood Flow in Man

The hepatic lobar distribution of ¹³¹I- labeled serum albumin injected into the superior mesenteric and splenic arteries was studied in 6 normal subjects and in 8 patients with portal hypertension to determine whether streamlining of flow in the portal vein leads to selective hepatic distribution of portal inflow. Isotope dilution curves recorded simultaneously from the right and left (or sagittal) hepatic veins were similar in most patients whether injection was made into the superior mesenteric or splenic arteries. The ratio of the area of curves recorded from the right to that from the left (or sagittal) hepatic veins averaged 0.91 after superior mesenteric injection and 0.95 after splenic injection. The absence in man of a consistent pattern of hepatic distribution of portal inflow makes this explanation for the localization of blood-borne hepatic lesions untenable.