title: [The dynamic computed tomography of small hepatocarcinomas treated by US-guided percutaneous ethanol injections. The short- and long-term follow-up aspects].
abstract: Dynamic CT studies with an automatic injector of iodinated contrast medium were performed in 22 patients affected with 29 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) (phi: 0.8-4.5 cm) before and after treatment with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) and during the follow-up period, every 6-9 months. Before PEI, most of the HCCs showed contrast enhancement on CT scans. Treatment was suspended when US-guided fine-needle biopsy demonstrated the absence of malignant cells and when the lesions were unenhanced on dynamic CT scans. Dynamic CT detected 21 HCCs (72.4%) before PEI and 24 HCCs (82.8%) after PEI and during the follow-up period. After PEI, 14 HCCs exhibited a thin and hyperdense peripheral rim on dynamic CT scans. Nine of these lesions, with long-term follow-up (12-31 months), have a smaller diameter than the primary lesion; 6 patients have no HCC recurrence. The authors conclude that dynamic CT is useful for evaluating the effectiveness of PEI in the treatment of HCCs; moreover, their personal experience suggests that the finding of a thin and hyperdense peripheral rim cannot always be related to viable cancerous tissue.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Radiologia, Ospedale Maggiore, Crema, Cremona.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borghetti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reduzzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parziale
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
vernacular_title: Tomografia computerizzata dinamica di piccoli epatocarcinomi trattati con iniezione percutanea ecoguidata di etanolo. Aspetti nel follow-up a breve e a lungo termine.