Transradial Access for Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE) in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Comparison with Transfemoral Access.

PURPOSE: To compare safety, efficacy, radiation exposure and patients comfort in patients of transradial access (TRA) in patients undergoing TARE compared with transfemoral access (TFA) including patient radiation exposure and patient comfort. METHODS: A total of 222 patients undergoing technetium-99 m macro-aggregated albumin and TARE were retrospectively reviewed from 2017 to 2022. We analyzed procedure-related pain, quality of life, recovery time, procedure time, fluoroscopy time (FT), air kerma product and air kerma (AK) to compare the two access for intervention for HCC. RESULTS: A total of 222 [(TFA (n = 147) and TRA (n = 75)] patients who underwent TARE for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were included. No significant difference was found regarding FT and DAP in comparison of TRA and TFA. (p = 0.385, p = 0.842). While the mean AK was 892.7 mGy in TFA patients, it was 545.2 mGy in TRA patients and there was statistically significant difference (p = 0.017). Patients who underwent TRA had significantly shorter hospital stays, and recovery times compared to those who underwent TFA (p = 0.001, p = 0.001). In terms of both mental health and physical function, TRA versus TFA has been observed to produce more favorable outcomes (p = 0.044, p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: TRA access for TARE procedures significantly enhances patient comfort and satisfaction. The total radiation dose exposed to the patients who underwent TRA access was found to be significantly lower than the patients who underwent TFA access.

Reliability of high-pitch ultra-low-dose paranasal sinus computed tomography for evaluating paranasal sinus anatomy and sinus disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of high-pitch ultra-low-dose computed tomography (CT) for detecting important paranasal sinus anatomic landmarks and pathologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients (22 females, 38 males) aged 15 to 67 years (mean age, 33.68 y; SD, 9.83 y) underwent high-pitch ultra-low-dose CT of the paranasal sinuses between February and June 2012. To determine the lowest possible dose for evaluation of the paranasal sinuses, the patients were divided into three groups randomly and prospectively. A different low-dose CT protocol was applied to each group. The image quality was assessed subjectively by a radiologist and an otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgeon independently using a 4-point grading scale (0 = structures could not be identified, 1 = indistinctly defined structures, 1.5 = relatively well-defined structures, 2 = very well-defined structures). Anatomic landmarks and mucosal structures were evaluated. Mean scores were evaluated to assess statistical significance. RESULTS: According to the anatomic landmark scoring, excluding the ethmoid foramen for ethmoid artery identification, all of the structures in all 3 groups were very well-defined structures. The ethmoid foramen for ethmoid artery identification was scored as either could not be identified or an indistinctly defined structure in all groups. On evaluating the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses, normal and pathologic mucosal structures were scored as very well defined in all of the patients. The interobserver agreement was excellent. CONCLUSION: High-pitch ultra-low-dose CT is a safe, reliable paranasal sinus screening tool.