title: Effect of hepatic artery embolization on liver hypertrophy response in a rabbit liver VX2 tumor model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Portal vein embolization not only induces hypertrophy of the non-embolized liver, but also enhances tumor growth. The latter could be prevented by embolizing the hepatic arteries supplying the tumor-bearing liver segments. This study aimed to determine the effects of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) on tumor volume and liver regeneration in a rabbit VX2 tumor model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three rabbits underwent subcapsular tumor implantation with a VX2 tumor. Two weeks after implantation, 18 rabbits were used for TAE experiments, 5 were for sham controls. Tumor response and liver regeneration response of the embolized cranial and non-embolized caudal liver lobes were assessed by CT volumetry, liver to body weight index, and the amount of proliferating hepatocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All super-selective arterial tumor embolization procedures were performed successfully. Despite embolization, the tumor volume increased after an initial steady state. The tumor volume after embolization was smaller than that of the sham group, but this difference was not significant. Massive necrosis of the tumor, however, was seen after embolization, without damage of the surrounding liver parenchyma. There was a significant atrophy response of the tumor bearing cranial lobe after super-selective arterial embolization of the tumor with a concomitant hypertrophy response of the non-embolized, caudal lobe. This regeneration response was confirmed histologically by a significantly higher number of proliferating hepatocytes on the Ki-67 stained slides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Super-selective, bland arterial coil embolization causes massive necrosis of the tumor, despite increase of volume on CT scan. Atrophy of the tumor bearing liver lobe is seen after arterial embolization of the tumor with a concomitant hypertrophy response of the non-embolized lobe, despite absence of histological damage of the tumor-surrounding liver parenchyma.
authors: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. k.p.vanlienden@amc.uva.nl.
authors: Krijn P
authors: KP
authors: van Lienden
authors: Lisette T
authors: LT
authors: Hoekstra
authors: Jessica D
authors: JD
authors: van Trigt
authors: Joris J
authors: JJ
authors: Roelofs
authors: Otto M
authors: OM
authors: van Delden
authors: Thomas M
authors: TM
authors: van Gulik
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size; D011817:Rabbits; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed