title: Evaluation of sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with low α-fetoprotein in arrival time parametric imaging using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the usefulness of arrival time parametric imaging (AtPI) using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid in evaluating early response to sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one advanced HCC patients with low α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (≤35 ng/ml) who received sorafenib for at least 4 weeks were enrolled in this study. CEUS was performed before and 2 weeks after treatment, and the images of the target lesion in the arterial phase were analyzed by AtPI. In the color mapping images obtained by AtPI, the mean arrival time of the contrast agent in the target lesion from the reference point (mean time: MT) was calculated. In each patient, differences between MT before and MT 2 weeks after treatment were compared. MT (+) and MT (-) groups were defined as difference of 0 s or greater and less than 0 s, respectively. Overall survival was evaluated between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the MT (+) (11 patients) and MT (-) (10 patients) groups, the median survival time was 792 and 403 days, respectively, which was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that AtPI was useful for evaluating early response to sorafenib for advanced HCC with low AFP level.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan. manabu62@med.toho-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikehara
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Mie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Omori Hospital, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasukiyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077157:Sorafenib; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D003287:Contrast Media; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib
keywords: Arrival time parametric imaging; Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Sorafenib; α-Fetoprotein