Intraarterial chemotherapy or chemoembolization for locally advanced and/ or recurrent hepatic tumors: evaluation of the feeding artery with an interventional CT system

• Published in: Cardiovascular and interventional radiology 2001-05, Vol.24 (3), p.176-179
• Main Authors: HIRAI, Toshinori, KOROGI, Yukunori, ONO, Ken, MARUOKA, Kousei, HARADA, Kazunori, ARIDOMI, Satoshi, TAKAHASHI, Mutsumasa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiography; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; ARTERIES; BILIARY TRACT; Biological and medical sciences; BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY; Catheters; Chemoembolization; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; CHEMOTHERAPY; Complications; EVALUATION; Female; Gallbladder; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatic Artery - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; LIVER; Liver cancer; Liver Neoplasms - blood supply; Liver Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Liver Neoplasms - therapy; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical imaging; Medical instruments; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - blood supply; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - therapy; NEOPLASMS; PATIENTS; Perfusion; RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation; Tumors
• ISSN: 0174-1551; 1432-086X
• DOI: 10.1007/s002700000389

To evaluate the utility of an interventional CT system for intraarterial chemotherapy or chemoembolization for locally advanced and/or recurrent hepatic tumors. Thirty-eight patients with locally advanced or recurrent hepatic tumors underwent 73 intraarterial contrast-enhanced CT (IA-CECT) examinations immediately before chemotherapy or chemoembolization. The degree of tumor vascularity on angiography and enhancement on IA-CECT was classified into three grades: no, mild, or marked vascularity. The IA-CECT grades were compared with the angiographic grades. Twenty-nine (69%) of 42 examinations that were interpreted as having no or mild vascularity on angiography were classified as marked enhancement on IA-CECT. Based on IA-CECT findings, the position of the catheter was changed in 14 (19%) of 73 CT examinations. The reasons for the reposition were as follows: weak or no enhancement of the tumor (n = 11) or strong enhancement of the gallbladder wall (n = 3). The treatment strategy was changed in three patients (8%). No major complications relating to the interventional procedures were observed. IA-CECT is a reliable method when evaluating the perfusion of the tumor and adjacent normal tissues. The interventional CT system is useful for performing safe and effective intraarterial chemotherapy or chemoembolization in patients with locally advanced and/or recurrent hepatic tumors.