Correlation between angiographically assessed vascularity and blood flow in hepatic metastases in patients with colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND. The correlation between vascularity and blood flow in hepatic m etastases in patients with colorectal carcinoma was studied in 22 metastati c liver tumors. METHODS. Hepatic metastases were categorized into Grades A-C, in order of i ncreasing vascularity, as determined by hepatic angiography. Of the 22 meta static liver tumors from 15 patients that showed on angiography, 5 tumors h ad slightly increased tumor vascularization (Grade A), 10 tumors had vascul arization similar to normal (Grade B), and 7 tumors showed decreased vascul arization relative to liver parenchyma (Grade C). Blood flow in these metas tatic liver tumors was calculated quantitatively by positron emission tomog raphy (PET) scanning using the (CO2)-O-15 steady-state method and the (H2O) -O-15 dynamic method. RESULTS, Using the (H2O)-O-15 method, blood flow value in Grade A tumors wa s 52.9 +/- 17.0 mt per 100 g per minute (mean F standard error), that in Gr ade B tumors was 35.7 +/- 3.8 mt per 100 g per minute, and that in Grade C tumors was 31.7 +/- 6.6 mt per 100 g per minute. CONCLUSIONS. A significant difference was found between blood flows in Grad e A metastatic liver tumors and Grade B or C tumors (P < 0.002). There was no significant difference between blood flows in Grade B and C tumors. PET scan quantification results were almost parallel with the angiographic resu lts. Even Grade C tumors had sufficient blood flow, about 32 mt per 100 g p er minute on dynamic PET scans. These findings suggest that blood flow in h epatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma is greater than generally is be lieved. (C) 2000 American Cancer Society.