Change in contrast enhancement of HCC on 1-month follow-up CT after local radiotherapy: an early predictor of final treatment response.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in contrast enhancement of HCC on 1-month follow-up CT after local radiotherapy (RT) as an early predictor of final treatment response.


METHODS
Fifty patients who underwent local RT for HCCs had both pre-RT and post-RT CT scans including 1-month follow-up CT. We assessed the final treatment response by using the change in maximal tumor size on 6-12-month follow-up CT scan after RT. We also evaluated the change in tumor enhancement between pre-RT and 1-month follow-up CT scans.


RESULTS
A final treatment response was achieved in 27 (54%) of 50 patients, who showed either a complete response (n=11) or a partial response (n=16). Compared with non-responsive patients (n=23), responsive patients showed a significant decrease in tumor enhancement on 1-month follow-up CT after RT in both objective and subjective analyses (each P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The change in contrast enhancement of HCC seen on the 1-month follow-up CT in patients after local RT may be used as an early predictor of final treatment response.
Kim
Eun Young
EY
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul 135-710, Republic of Korea.
Choi
Dongil
D
Lim
Do Hoon
DH
Lee
Won Jae
WJ
Yoo
Byung Chul
BC
Paik
Seung Woon
SW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol; C038192:iopromide