HEPATIC PERFUSION CHANGES AFTER TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION (TAE) OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA - MEASUREMENT BY DYNAMIC COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY (CT)

We observed the hemodynamic changes at the level of the hepatic parenc hyma induced by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for hepatoce llular carcinoma in 22 patients. TAE was performed by administration o f a mixture of iodized oil, adriamycin, and mitomycin C, followed by i njection of gelatin sponge particles (l-mm pieces). Perfusion measurem ents (arterial and portal) were done by dynamic computed tomography (C T). Arterial perfusion was increased two to six days after TAE (0.146 +/- 0.073 ml/min/ml, P < 0.0002) compared with that before TAE (0.064 +/- 0.039), but decreased again one month after TAE (0.086 +/- 0.038), Portal perfusion was decreased two to six days after TAE (0.541 +/- 0 .180, P < 0.001) compared with that before TAE (0.733 +/- 0.263) and w as grossly unchanged one month after TAE (0.651 +/- 0.214). We suspect ed that these perfusion changes were due to acute inflammatory respons es. Quantification of tissue perfusion by dynamic CT was useful for st udying hemodynamic changes after TAE.