Power Doppler sonography of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by trans catheter arterial chemoembolization - Assessment of the therapeutic effect

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of power Doppler sonography (PDS) in as sessing the therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Material and Methods: TACE was performed in 43 patients (48 lesions) with H CC. All patients were examined with both PDS and color Doppler sonography ( CDS) to assess the therapeutic results 1 week after TACE. Follow-up hepatic angiography was performed in 39 patients 3-4 months after TACE and then CT after iodized oil reinjection was also performed 3-4 weeks after a repeat TACE; in the remaining 4 patients, hepatectomy was performed within one mon th after chemoembolization and histologic study was undertaken to confirm t he Doppler findings. Results: Determination of therapeutic results with PDS and CDS were in agre ement with those of follow-up findings in 37 and 29 of the 48 lesions, resp ectively. There was a significant difference in overall accuracy (p=0.038) between PDS and CDS results. Conclusion, PDS is more effective than CDS for evaluating changes in tumor vascularity after TACE. PDS may also replace angiography in assessing the t herapeutic effects of TACE for HCCs, except in deep-seated areas.