title: Change in contrast enhancement of HCC on 1-month follow-up CT after local radiotherapy: an early predictor of final treatment response.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul 135-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dongil
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Do Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Won Jae
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Seung Woon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Paik
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol; C038192:iopromide