title: Changes in contrast enhancement of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver: effect of temporary occlusion of a hepatic vein evaluated with spiral CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the hemodynamics of the liver and of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with hepatic vein occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Selected hepatic veins were temporarily occluded with a balloon catheter in 21 patients with 28 nontreated nodular HCCs. Computed tomographic (CT) arteriography was performed without and with temporary occlusion of a hepatic vein that drained the blood from segmental liver parenchyma containing tumor by using a unified spiral CT and angiography system. The degree of enhancement and change in appearance of the HCC in each condition were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All HCCs were well-enhanced, almost round masses at CT arteriography. At CT arteriography with hepatic vein occlusion, however, HCCs were changed as follows: (a) the absolute attenuation of the HCC was decreased in 27 (96%) of 28 tumors compared with that at CT arteriography without hepatic vein occlusion, while attenuation of the surrounding liver parenchyma was increased; (b) the size of the highly enhanced area in HCC became smaller in 17 (61%) tumors (of these, two disappeared); and (c) the shape was changed in 12 (43%) tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatic vein occlusion resulted in reciprocal hemodynamic changes in the liver parenchyma relative to HCCs: Enhancement of the liver increases and that of HCCs decreases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satake
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moriyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002404:Catheterization; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media