Detection of hepatic tumor perfusion following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced echoplanar imaging

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the magnetic resonan ce (MR) perfusion maps in the detection of liver tumor perfusion following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). MR dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced imaging was performed in 12 patients with 10 confirmed he patocellular carcinoma and 2 confirmed hepatic metastasis using single-shot echoplanar pulse sequence. Time-intensity curves for all hepatic tumors sh owed a transient signal drop and the hepatic blood volume (HBV) maps were r econstructed. On the HBV maps, most tumors (80%) demonstrated hyperperfusio n before TACE and hypoperfusion following TACE. The site and the degree of residual hyperperfusion within the tumor on the HBV maps correlated well wi th the areas of hypervascularity on the angiograms. In conclusion, the MR p erfusion maps can be a promising technique for detecting the perfusion of t he residual tumor tissue following TACE. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999.