Effects of prostaglandin E(1) injection through the superior mesenteric artery on the hemodynamics of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to assess the effects of portal blood flow on contrast enhancement in hepatocellular carcinoma lesions on CT hepatic arteriography.


METHODS
We examined 43 tumors in 39 patients who simultaneously underwent CT during arterial portography and CT hepatic arteriography for examination of liver tumors and then CT hepatic arteriography with prostaglandin E(1) injection via the superior mesenteric artery. All lesions pathologically confirmed to be hepatocellular carcinomas exhibited portal perfusion defects on CT during arterial portography. Changes in CT attenuation, size, and shape of liver tumors visualized on CT hepatic arteriography after intraarterial injection of prostaglandin E(1) were studied. In addition, changes in CT attenuation of the liver parenchyma surrounding the tumor were measured.


RESULTS
The CT attenuation increased significantly after injection of prostaglandin E(1) in 91% (39/43) of the lesions (mean increase from 176.4 to 206.6 H; p = 0.0006, paired t test). The size and shape of the enhanced area generally did not change. The CT attenuation of the liver parenchyma surrounding each liver tumor significantly decreased in 58% (25/43) of the hepatocellular carcinoma lesions (mean decrease from 94.8 to 92.0 H; p = 0.0166, paired t test) and lesion conspicuity increased in 91% (39/43) of the tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Lesion conspicuity on CT hepatic arteriography between hepatocellular carcinoma and the surrounding liver parenchyma increased because of greater portal perfusion after the prostaglandin E(1) injection.
Yamagami
Takuji
T
Department of Radiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-chyo, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
Nakamura
Toshiyuki
T
Iida
Shigeharu
S
Kato
Takeharu
T
Tanaka
Osamu
O
Nishimura
Tsunehiko
T
D000368:Aged; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000527:Alprostadil