[Evaluating efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization combined with radiofrequency ablation on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma by 18FDG-PET/CT].
OBJECTIVE
Judging tumor residue of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment of transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) by computed tomography (CT) scan is difficult; while 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/CT ((18)FDG-PET/CT) has some advantages in this aspect. This study was designed to compare the results of (18)FDG-PET/CT and CT scan in judging tumor residue of HCC after treatment of TACE combined with RFA, and to guide following treatment according to the result of (18)FDG-PET/CT.


METHODS
Thirteen HCC patients with 18 lesions, 0.8-16.0 cm in diameter, were treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from Nov. 2002 to Jun. 2003. Of the 13 patients, 12 were naive patients with 15 lesions; 1 was relapsed with 3 lesions 1 year after hepatectomy. The results of CT and (18)FDG-PET/CT of the 13 patients 2-3 weeks after treatment of TACE combined with RFA were compared. If tumor residue was dictated, a further RFA treatment would be applied within 2-3 weeks.


RESULTS
Of the 13 HCC patients that received 1 course of TACE combined with RFA, 11 had tumor residues which were conformed by fine needle biopsy and digital substraction angiography (DSA). CT only detected 5 positive cases; however, (18)FDG-PET/CT detected 10 positive cases. Positive rate of CT was 45.4%, and that of (18)FDG-PET/CT was 90.9%. According to the results of (18)FDG-PET/CT of the 11 patients, after the second course of RFA, 10 patients had no tumor residue; 1 patient survived with uncontrolled lesion 6 weeks after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
(18)FDG-PET/CT is better than CT in judging tumor residue of HCC after treatment of TACE combined with RFA or surgery, and in guiding further treatment of HCC.
Zhao
Ming
M
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.
Wu
Pei-Hong
PH
Zeng
Yi-Xin
YX
Zhang
Fu-Jun
FJ
Huang
Jin-Hua
JH
Fan
Wei-Jun
WJ
Gu
Yang-Kui
YK
Zhang
Liang
L
Tan
Zhi-Bin
ZB
Lin
You-En
YE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18