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Virginia Tech

Efficacy of the Bromsulfophthalein (BSP) 30-Minute Retention Test for the Diagnosis of Hepatobiliary Disease in Dogs

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Measuring the amount of bromsulfophthalein (BSP) retained in serum 30 minutes after intravenous injection can be used to evaluate hepatic function. BSP retention of less than 5% 30 minutes after intravenous administration is considered normal in dogs. The BSP retention test fell out of favor due to perceived inaccuracy when compared with bile acid and ammonia testing and a fear of hypersensitivity reactions. BSP was discontinued as a commercially-available drug in 1984. Use of BSP has continued at virginia tech despite the test's reputed disadvantages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the BSP retention test in dogs with and without histopathologically-confirmed hepatobiliary disease. The medical records of 150 dogs with hepatobiliary disease having both a BSP retention test and hepatic biopsy performed were evaluated. Histopathologic slides were reviewed, and dogs were classified according to one of 11 predetermined histopathologic categories. Twenty-five random-source dogs were used as controls. Adverse effects following BSP administration were not observed in any dog. BSP retention was significantly different between hospitalized and control dogs, but the test could not distinguish between dogs with different types of hepatobiliary disease. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the BSP retention test were calculated, and its sensitivity was comparable to that of serum bile acid and ammonia testing. Using 6.0% retention as a cut-off for normal retention resulted in a specificity of 100%, sensitivity of 69.8%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 35.7%.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Department dc:contributor.department
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1997

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Flatland, Bente
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Leib, Michael S.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Forrester, S. Dru
  • Sponenberg, D. Phillip
  • Warnick, Lorin D.
  • Chickering, William R.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-6297-14718
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36869

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Flatland, Bente. Efficacy of the Bromsulfophthalein (BSP) 30-Minute Retention Test for the Diagnosis of Hepatobiliary Disease in Dogs. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36869