title: Therapeutic effect of percutaneous ethanol injection on small hepatocellular carcinoma: evaluation with CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the therapeutic effect of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) on small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven patients with histologically proved HCC 3 cm or less in diameter underwent PEI. The patients were regularly followed up with sonography and contrast material-enhanced CT for more than 1 year (range, 12-96 months). The CT findings were evaluated for three tumor types distinguished on the basis of their appearance relative to that of the surrounding liver parenchyma: type 1 = hyperattenuating at the early phase (n = 39), type 2 = iso- or hypoattenuating at the early phase and hypoattenuating at the late phase (n = 18), and type 3 = isoattenuating (not detected) at both the early and late phases (n = 10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After PEI, a necrotic area of HCC and the surrounding liver parenchyma was characterized as hypoattenuating at both early and late phases of contrast-enhanced CT, regardless of the type. When an HCC appeared to be completely necrotic within 3 months after PEI, this status was retained until the latest observation in all but three cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced CT can correctly depict PEI-induced necrosis in HCC and is reliable for evaluating the therapeutic effect of PEI.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011677:Punctures; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D000431:Ethanol; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine; D007479:Iopamidol