New techniques: Splenic artery embolization followed by intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

We present a new intraarterial infusion chemotherapy technique for the trea tment of inoperable cancer in the body and tail of the pancreas. The spleen was embolized at its hilum with coils to infuse an anti-tumor agent select ively into the pancreatic parenchyma and a catheter was placed into the spl enic artery and connected to the reservoir. Tc-99m-macroaggregated albumin + diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (MAA+DTPA) was injected into the rese rvoir and the body and tail of the pancreas were visualized on the image. F or inoperable cancer in the body and tail of the pancreas, splenic artery e mbolization followed by the placement of a catheter into the splenic artery can deliver a highly concentrated anti-tumor agent to the tumor.