THERE IS GENERAL recognition of increased tissue copper content reflecting an increased tissue uptake of dietary copper in Wilson's disease. Presented here are results of clinical radioisotope studies intended to elaborate certain mechanisms related to the increased tissue copper uptake in Wilson's disease.
In an earlier report a single-injection, clinical technique was described which allows the measurement of the rate of uptake by brain of γ-emitters circulating in the blood.1 Included was a brief description of the demonstration of increased64Cu uptake by brain in Wilson's disease (hepatolenticular degeneration). The present report will describe, in detail, results in two cases of Wilson's disease studied in this way. As controls, five normals, five patients with Laennec's cirrhosis and one case of Huntington's chorea have been similarly studied.
In addition to this single-injection technique a second closely related method of continuous infusion was applied in several subjects. In both techniques