COMPARISON OF ANGIOGRAPHY, CT ARTERIOGRAPHY AND MR-IMAGING IN ASSESSMENT OF LIVER METASTASES TREATED BY PERCUTANEOUS TRANSCATHETER INTRAARTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
Ae. Mahfouz et al., COMPARISON OF ANGIOGRAPHY, CT ARTERIOGRAPHY AND MR-IMAGING IN ASSESSMENT OF LIVER METASTASES TREATED BY PERCUTANEOUS TRANSCATHETER INTRAARTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY, Liver, 17(5), 1997, pp. 260-266
The purpose of this study was to compare results of digital subtractio
n angiography (DSA), computed tomographic arteriography (CTA), and mag
netic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of patients with liver
metastases subjected to percutaneous transcatheter intraarterial chem
otherapy. Forty-four patients with liver metastases treated by cyclic
percutaneous transcatheter intra-arterial chemotherapy were examined b
efore each cycle by an imaging protocol consisting of DSA and CTA. MRI
was added to this protocol in 18 patients. DSA and CTA equally detect
ed thrombosis of the catheter or arteries distal to the catheter tip i
n 16 examinations. DSA detected arterial reflux in 15 examinations, wh
ile CTA detected only one case of reflux. CTA was superior to DSA in d
emonstrating perfusion abnormalities and superior to MRI in detecting
metastases. CT was the only method that demonstrated intratumoral calc
ification. In conclusion, in patients with liver metastases subjected
to percutaneous transcatheter intra-arterial chemotherapy, DSA is the
best method for detection of arterial reflux, whereas CTA is the best
method for detection of metastases and demonstration of perfusion abno
rmalities.