Evidence of gallbladder function changes in hepatoma after transcatheter arterial embolization by quantitative Tc-99m DISIDA cholescintigraphy

Background/Aims: Transcatheter arterial embolization is the treatment of ch oice for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. Gallbladder infarction follow ing transcatheter arterial embolization has been reported, therefore, the g allbladder functions were studied using the quantitative Tc-99m DISIDA chol eseintigraphy in the present study. Methodology: The gallbladder functions which were presented as the filling fraction and the ejection fraction in 24 patients with hepatoma before and after transcatheter arterial embolization. The patients were separated into two groups. Group 1: 12 patients received precystic artery transcatheter a rterial embolization and group 2: 12 patients received postcystic artery tr anscatheter arterial embolization. Results: After transcatheter arterial embolization, significantly decreased both gallbladder functions of filling fraction (61.2 +/-7.4% and 48.3 +/-6 .5%) and ejection fraction (47.8 +/-6.0% and 36.5 +/-5.3%) were found in gr oup 1 patients. However, no significant change of filling fraction (59.0 +/ -5.0% and 58,8 +/-7.4%) and ejection fraction (49.9 +/-2.4% and 49.3 +/-5.7 %) in group 2 patients. Conclusions: Impaired gallbladder functions were common in hepatoma patient s who received precystic artery transcatheter arterial embolization, and Tc -99m DISIDA cholescintigraphy may be useful for evaluating the gallbladder functions in hepatoma patients who received transcatheter arterial emboliza tion.