Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma by CT during arterial portography using a cone-beam CT technology: comparison with conventional CTAP

• Published in: Abdominal imaging Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 502 - 506
• Main Authors: Miyayama, Shiro, Matsui, Osamu, Yamashiro, Masashi, Ryu, Yasuji, Takata, Harumi, Takeda, Taro, Aburano, Hiroyuki, Shigenari, Noriaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.07.2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - diagnostic imaging; Cardiovascular system; Female; Gastroenterology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatology; Humans; Imaging; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Liver Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Portography; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Radiology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tumors; Detectability; Hepatocellular carcinoma; CT during arterial portography; Cone-beam CT technology; Angiography; Nuclear medicine; Angiography-Detectability; Portohepatography; Radiodiagnosis; Hepatic disease; Malignant tumor; Artery; Technology; Gastroenterology; Medical imagery; Digestive diseases; Computerized axial tomography; Comparative study; Cancer
• ISSN: 0942-8925; 2366-004X; 1432-0509; 2366-0058
• DOI: 10.1007/s00261-007-9254-9

Background To evaluate the detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by computed tomography during arterial portography (CTAP) using cone-beam CT technology (CBCTAP) by comparing it with conventional CTAP. Methods Forty-four HCC lesions (mean diameter 1.9 ± 1.1 cm) of 24 patients who sequentially underwent conventional CTAP and CBCTAP during the same angiography session were evaluated. CBCTAP findings of each tumor were classed into three grades as compared to conventional CTAP: optimal; suboptimal; and nondiagnostic. Results All CBCTAP images had image artifacts from the catheter placed in the superior mesenteric artery and enhanced portal veins. Additionally, the contrast between HCC lesion and surrounding liver parenchyma of CBCTAP images was less than that of CTAP images. Of the 44 tumors, findings of 31 nodules (mean 2.2 ± 1.2 cm) (70.5%) were classed as optimal. Eight nodules (mean 1.4 ± 0.8  cm) (18.2%) were classed as suboptimal. Five nodules (mean 1.0 ± 0.1 cm) (11.4%) including two located in the outside of field of view were classed as nondiagnostic. Conclusion CBCTAP had sufficient image quality to detect almost all small HCC lesions compared to conventional CTAP and could depict approximately 89% of HCC nodules, including eight suboptimal lesions.