Multislice CT angiography through an implantable catheter and port system: early experience in detection of vascular complications during hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of multislice CT in the evaluation of vascular patency in patients during hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of liver tumors.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients were prospectively examined by CT angiography through the indwelling catheter and port system. Visibility of hepatic arteries and vascular patency were graded 0 to 3 and were compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA).


RESULTS
Average visualization scores of CT angiography and DSA were 1.7 and 2.5, respectively, in common hepatic artery (CHA) and proper hepatic artery (PHA), 2.5 and 2.3 in right hepatic artery (RHA), 2.6 and 2.6 in left hepatic artery (LHA), 2.3 and 2.2 in segmental RHA, and 2.1 and 2.0 in segmental LHA. Stenoses were found in proximal hepatic arteries in 9 on CT angiography and 13 on DSA. Stenoses were found in branches of the hepatic artery in 21 on CT angiography and 16 on DSA.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors' results indicate that multislice CT angiography of the hepatic arteries is equivalent to DSA and may demonstrate vascular complications of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy.
Sone
Miyuki
M
Department of Radiology, Iwate Prefectural Kitakami Hospital, Kitakami, Japan. msone@athena.ocn.ne.jp
Kato
Kenichi
K
Nakasato
Tatsuhiko
T
Ehara
Shigeru
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology*