Lipiodol Deposition and Washout in Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors After Chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Lipiodol is the key component of conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization. Our aim was to evaluate lipiodol deposition and washout rate after conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatic metastases originating from neuroendocrine tumors and colorectal carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 44 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis from neuroendocrine tumors or colorectal carcinoma who underwent conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization. Lipiodol volume (cm3) was analyzed on non-contrast computed tomography imaging obtained within 24 h post conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization, and 40-220 days after conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization using volumetric image analysis software. Tumor response was assessed on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging 1 month after conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization. RESULTS: The washout rate was longer for neuroendocrine tumors compared to colorectal carcinoma, with half-lives of 54.61 days (p<0.00001) and 19.39 days (p<0.001), respectively, with no exponential washout among intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (p=0.83). The half-life for lipiodol washout was longer in tumors larger than 300 cm3 compared to smaller tumors (25.43 vs. 22.71 days). Lipiodol wash out half-life was 54.76 days (p<0.01) and 29.45 days (p<0.00001) for tumors with a contrast enhancement burden of 60% or more and less than 60%, respectively. A negative exponential relationship for lipiodol washout was observed in non-responders (p<0.00001). CONCLUSION: Lipiodol washout is a time-dependent process, and occurs faster in colorectal carcinoma tumors, tumors smaller than 300 cm3, tumors with baseline contrast enhancement burden of less than 60%, and non-responding target lesions.

Role of 3D quantitative tumor analysis for predicting overall survival after conventional chemoembolization of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

This study was designed to assess 3D vs. 1D and 2D quantitative tumor analysis for prediction of overall survival (OS) in patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) who underwent conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE). 73 ICC patients who underwent cTACE were included in this retrospective analysis between Oct 2001 and Feb 2015. The overall and enhancing tumor diameters and the maximum cross-sectional and enhancing tumor areas were measured on baseline images. 3D quantitative tumor analysis was used to assess total tumor volume (TTV), enhancing tumor volume (ETV), and enhancing tumor burden (ETB) (ratio between ETV and liver volume). Patients were divided into low (LTB) and high tumor burden (HTB) groups. There was a significant separation between survival curves of the LTB and HTB groups using enhancing tumor diameter (p = 0.003), enhancing tumor area (p = 0.03), TTV (p = 0.03), and ETV (p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed a hazard ratio of 0.46 (95%CI: 0.27-0.78, p = 0.004) for enhancing tumor diameter, 0.56 (95% CI 0.33-0.96, p = 0.04) for enhancing tumor area, 0.58 (95%CI: 0.34-0.98, p = 0.04) for TTV, and 0.52 (95%CI: 0.30-0.91, p = 0.02) for ETV. TTV and ETV, as well as the largest enhancing tumor diameter and maximum enhancing tumor area, reliably predict the OS of patients with ICC after cTACE and could identify ICC patients who are most likely to benefit from cTACE.