Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: validity of MR imaging in the evaluation of treatment effect.
To evaluate the validity of magnetic resonance imaging for the follow-up of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, 14 patients with a single hepatocellular carcinoma lesion smaller than 2.5 cm in diameter underwent MR imaging at 0.5 Tesla before and after treatment. Posttreatment follow-up examination included ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and fine-needle biopsy in all cases. Only one patient showed recurrence within the 12-month follow-up period. After treatment, HCC lesions showed hypointensity on T1-, and T2-weighted images that lasted 12 months after treatment. In three cases, wedge-shaped hyperintense regions peripheral to the HCC nodule were observed after treatment on T2-weighted images. Obstructive vasculitis of the portal vein was considered to occur as a result of the drainage of ethanol injected in the tumor. These MR imaging findings may be helpful in clinical practice.
Usui
H
H
First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Itai
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000431:Ethanol