Evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness of transarterial chemoembolizationfor hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation of dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced echoplanar imaging and hepatic angiography

The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness o f transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging ( DSC-MRI). Seventeen patients with histopathologically proven HCC were inclu ded in this study. All patients underwent MR examinations with conventional T1- and T2-weighted images, gadolinium- enhanced images, and DSC-MRI befor e TACE treatment. Hepatic blood volume (HBV) maps were reconstructed from t he time-intensity curves. The same MRI sequences and techniques were repeat ed 24 h and 6 weeks after TACE. Serial changes in tumor perfusion on HBV ma ps were correlated with vascularity in hepatic angiography. All tumors were hypointense on T1- weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Heterogeneous enhancement was observed in all tumors before and immediatel y after TACE. Hyperperfusion was noted in most of the tumors on HBV map bef ore TACE and moderate to marked hypoperfusion following TACE. The degree of tumor perfusion on HBV map correlated well with the vascularity in angiogr aphy, In conclusion, the noninvasive nature of DSC-MRI is useful to evaluat e the effectiveness of TACE. Invasive procedures, such as angiography, are seldom necessary. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.