title: A new liquid embolic material for liver tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of a new liquid embolic material, Onyx, for treating liver tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Onyx is a mixture of 6% (w/v) ethylene-vinyl-alcohol copolymer dissolved in anhydrous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with 28% (w/v) tantalum powder. In addition to 6% Onyx, we also tried 4%, 2% and 1% solutions, prepared by adjusting the amount of DMSO. We used 15 white rabbits with liver tumors created by percutaneous injection of VX2 tumor cells. In 4 groups with 3 rabbits in each, the liver arteries were embolized with 6%, 4%, 2% and 1% Onyx, respectively, and in 3 rabbits DMSO alone was injected. The injections were performed just proximal to the bifurcation of the proper hepatic artery, followed by celiac arteriography. Post mortem, the livers were examined by soft-tissue radiography, and liver-tissue section microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum number of arterial branching points passed by embolic material in either the right or left hepatic arteries was 11, 15 and 16, for 6%, 4% and 2% Onyx, respectively, but was non-measurable for 1% Onyx. Minimum diameters of arteries reached by 6%, 4%, 2% and 1% Onyx in tumorous areas were 40 microm, 35 microm, 20 microm and 10 microm, respectively, and in non-tumorous areas 35 microm, 5 microm, 5 microm and 5 microm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that Onyx may be feasible for treatment of hepatic tumors.
authors: Department of Radiology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Komemushi
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Tanigawa
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Okuda
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kojima
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Fujii
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Shomura
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sougawa
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Sawada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: C450660:Onyx copolymer; D011145:Polyvinyls; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide