title: [Prediction of Treatment Effect of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Computed Tomography(CT)-Attenuation Value].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In general, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)can obtain a high therapeutic effect on hypervascular tumors, but the definition of"hypervascular"is unclear. In this study, stainedtumor images on enhancedcomputedtomography( CT)were assessedaccord ing to CT-attenuation value. We investigatedwhether it is possible to estimate the treatment effect(TE)of TACE for hepatocellular carcinomas(HCCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 50 patients with unresectable HCCs who underwent TACE. A total of 141 tumors were diagnosed as HCC on enhanced CT. We measured andcalculatedthe ratios of CT-attenuation values of HCCs in the arterial phase to normal enhancedliver parenchyma in the portal phase(CT value ratio). We then evaluatedTE on each target nodule by enhancedCT, to examine the correlation between TE andthe CT value ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CT-attenuation values were 119(range 61-180)hounsfieldunits(HU)for HCC and8 3(49-141)HU for liver parenchyma, andthe CT value ratio was 1.47(0.7-2.6). TE was positively correlatedwith the CT value ratio(p=0.0005). The cut-off value that suggestedfavorable results for TACE was 1.7 by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CT value ratio is useful for recognition of hypervascular tumors. We obtained favorable results in cases with a CT value ratio of 1.7 or more.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East.
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.forename: Takebumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuhara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Tatsuomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.forename: Teppei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asaka
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokomizo
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimakawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsube
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naritaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome