Carbon dioxide microbubbles-enhanced sonographically guided radiofrequency ablation: treatment of patients with local progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using CO2 microbubbles-enhanced sonography for patients with local tumor progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
The tumors of 14 patients with local progression of HCC were treated with CO2 microbubbles-enhanced RFA ablation via a catheter that had been placed in the hepatic artery. We assessed tumor detectability and technical effectiveness. The mean follow-up period was 14.1 months.


RESULTS
Only 6 of the tumors could be found on conventional sonography, whereas 14 tumors were detected on CO2 microbubbles-enhanced sonography. These 14 lesions were successfully treated with RFA guided by CO2 microbubbles-guided sonography. Technical effectiveness was complete in all patients. No serious complications were observed, and there was no local tumor progression during the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
RFA guided by CO2 microbubbles-guided sonography is a feasible technique for treating local progression of HCC lesions that cannot be adequately depicted by conventional sonography.
Miyamoto
Noriyuki
N
Department of Radiology, JA Hokkaido Koseiren Obihiro Kosei General Hospital, W6 S8, Obihiro, 080-0013, Japan. nm-00@fg7.so-net.ne.jp
Hiramatsu
Kazuhide
K
Tsuchiya
Kazuhiko
K
Sato
Yukihiko
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D002245:Carbon Dioxide