Development of new hepaticoenteric collateral pathways after hepatic arterial skeletonization in preparation for yttrium-90 radioembolization.
OBJECTIVE
Development of new hepaticoenteric anastomotic vessels may occur after endovascular skeletonization of the hepatic artery. Left untreated, they can serve as pathways for nontarget radioembolization. The authors reviewed the incidence, anatomy, management, and significance of collateral vessel formation in patients undergoing radioembolization.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-eight treatments performed on 122 patients were reviewed. Each patient underwent a preparatory digital subtraction angiogram (DSA) and embolization of all hepaticoenteric vessels in preparation for yttrium-90 ((90)Y) administration. Successful skeletonization was verified by C-arm computed tomography (CACT) and technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin ((99m)TcMAA) scintigraphy. During the subsequent treatment session, DSA and CACT were repeated before administration of (90)Y, and the detection of extrahepatic perfusion prompted additional embolization.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients (34.4%) undergoing 43 treatments (31.2%) required adjunctive embolization of hepaticoenteric vessels immediately before (90)Y administration. Previous scintigraphy findings showed extrahepatic perfusion in only three cases (7.1%). Vessels were identified by DSA in 54.1%, by CACT in 4.9%, or required both in 41.0%. The time interval between angiograms did not correlate with risk of requiring reembolization (P = .297). A total of 19.7% of vessels were new collateral vessels not visible during the initial angiography. Despite reembolization, three patients (7.1%) had gastric or duodenal ulceration, compared with 1.3% who never had visible collateral vessels, all of whom underwent whole-liver treatment with resin microspheres (P = .038).


CONCLUSIONS
Development of collateral hepaticoenteric anastomoses occurs after endovascular skeletonization of the hepatic artery. Identified vessels may be managed by adjunctive embolization, but patients appear to remain at increased risk for gastrointestinal complications.
Abdelmaksoud
Mohamed H K
MH
Division of Interventional Radiology, H-3646 Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5642, USA.
Hwang
Gloria L
GL
Louie
John D
JD
Kothary
Nishita
N
Hofmann
Lawrence V
LV
Kuo
William T
WT
Hovsepian
David M
DM
Sze
Daniel Y
DY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002140:California; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes