Temporal variations in stump pressure and assessment of images obtained from cone-beam computed tomography during balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization.

AIM: Balloon-occluded transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (B-TACE) was used to show the optimized duration of balloon occlusion to start injection of lipiodol in order to maximize lipiodol deposition in the nodule, and to reveal the endpoint of lipiodol injection. METHODS: Of 29 consecutive patients who underwent balloon-occluded TACE between November 2013 and February 2014, we were able to measure stump pressure for 219 nodules in 27 patients. Tumors were counted, measured and could be visually assessed in 20 of these patients at 26 sites. Tumors with multiple feeders were found in eight patients. Arterial blood pressure was measured before, immediately after and 5 min after balloon occlusion prior to intra-arterial injection, as well as before and after balloon deflation after intra-arterial injection. Images were assessed qualitatively by two radiologists as well as quantitatively by calculating the contrast-to-noise ratio. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in pressure between immediately after and 5 min after balloon occlusion. Mean stump pressure before balloon deflation after intra-arterial injection was 70.4 mmHg. We observed a significant increase in qualitative scores after balloon occlusion (P < 0.001), and the mean score in the third-order branch was significantly higher than that in the first-order branch (P = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that intra-arterial injection can be started at any time after balloon occlusion and that 70 mmHg may be considered as a possible indicator of the end-point for arterial injection.

Effectiveness of intraarterial administration of fasudil hydrochloride for preventing symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effect of intraarterial administration of fasudil hydrochloride (IAFC), a Rho kinase inhibitor, for the prevention of symptomatic vasospasm after SAH by evaluating cerebral circulation. METHODS: We evaluated IAFC cases of 57 sides of 38 patients (12 men and 26 women, average age 60.2 years old) diagnosed with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from February 2012 to November 2012. All cases were treated by clipping or coil embolization within 48 h after onset. Indication for IAFC was the existence of a spastic change on follow-up digital subtraction angiography (DSA) compared with that of onset. RESULTS: Clipping was performed in 30 cases and coil embolization in 8 cases. IAFC was performed an average of 6.6 days after onset. Color gradient mapping demonstrated reduction of the circulation time after IAFC compared with before IAFC on 39 sides, no change on 15 sides, and extension on 3 sides. Average arterial circulation time before IAFC was 2.25 ± 0.57 s and after IAFC was 1.95 ± 0.55 s. IAFC significantly shortened average arterial circulation (P = 0.005). No case developed symptomatic vasospasm after IAFC. CONCLUSION: IAFC significantly reduced the cerebral circulation time after aneurysmal SAH and might be effective for the prevention of symptomatic vasospasm.

Bolus injection of contrast agents with various iodine concentrations and delivery rates for intracranial three-dimensional CT angiography: evaluation of intracranial arteriovenous contrast using a multidetector-row CT scanner.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the difference in computed tomography (CT) attenuation values of the intracranial arterial and venous systems among the various contrast injection protocols (higher iodine delivery rate or higher concentration of the agent) on the source images of intracranial three-dimensional CT angiography (3D-CTA) using a multidetector-row CT (MDCT) scanner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 100 ml of iopamidol 300 at an injection rate of 3.0 ml/s, 100 ml of iopamidol 300 at an injection rate of 3.7 ml/s, and 80 ml of iopamidol 370 at an injection rate of 3.0 ml/s. There were 10 patients in each group. Attenuation values of the bilateral internal carotid arteries (ICAs), basilar artery trunk, bilateral cavernous sinuses (CSs), and Galenic vein were measured quantitatively on the axial CT angiographic source images obtained by four-channel MDCT. RESULTS: Injection of the high-concentration contrast with a higher iodine-delivery rate achieved good arteriovenous contrast at the cavernous portion. With the same rate of iodine delivery, injection of the intermediate concentrate agent increased the CT value of not only the ICAs but also the CSs. CONCLUSION: High-concentration contrast could increase ICA attenuation without intracavernous attenuation gain during the "first-pass" phase.

Clinical outcome of hypofractionated conventional conformation radiotherapy for patients with single and no more than three metastatic brain tumors, with noninvasive fixation of the skull without whole brain irradiation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of hypofractionated conventional conformation radiotherapy (HCCRT) with noninvasive fixation of the skull on patients with single or several brain metastases. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The subjects were 44 patients who had three or fewer brain metastases (26 solitary, 18 multiple). Treatment was conducted on 65 metastases by rotational conformal beam or multiple fixed coplanar beams with a standard linear accelerator. The planning target volume consisted of the tumor and a 1-cm safety margin. The median isocentric dose was 24 Gy (range, 18-30 Gy) in 3-5 fractions. Whole-brain irradiation was not applied as an initial treatment. RESULTS: Actuarial local tumor control rates at 6 months and 1 year were 78.4% and 71.9%, respectively. In-field recurrence was noted in 10 of 65 tumors, and repeat HCCRT was applied in 5 tumors. Actuarial overall survival rates at 1 year, 2 years, and the median survival time were 50.8%, 24.1%, and 5.8 months, respectively. The patients with an active primary cancer and poor performance status had a poorer prognosis than those without those factors. Actuarial freedom from second brain metastases rates at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 86.6%, 69.0%, and 40.9%, respectively. Second brain metastases were observed in 9 of 44 patients. Lung adenocarcinomas had a higher risk of second brain metastasis than others. Treatment-related severe early or late complications were not observed in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Hypofractionated conventional conformation radiotherapy achieved sufficient tumor control and survival. The results suggest that HCCRT would be one of the alternatives for patients with either solitary or several brain metastases.

Prognostic factors for survival in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiation therapy: impact of tumor volume.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of tumor volume on overall survival in patients with Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between May 1997 and February 2003, 71 patients with Stage III NSCLC were treated with radiation therapy of 60 Gy or more. The total target dose was between 60 and 77 Gy (average, 66.3 Gy). Chemotherapy was used in 45 cases. The primary tumor and nodal volume were identified in pretreatment computed tomography scans. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the impact of tumor volume on survival after RT. RESULTS: The overall 2-year survival rate was 23%, with a median survival time of 14 months. The median survival times were 10 months and 19 months with large primary tumor volume more than median volume and smaller primary tumor volume, respectively. At a univariate analysis, the total tumor volume (TTV) (p<0.0003) and the primary tumor volume (p<0.00008) were significant and the nodal volume was not. At multivariate analyses, both the TTV and the primary tumor volume were significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: The primary tumor volume as well as TTV is a significant prognostic factor on survival in patients with Stage III NSCLC treated with RT and should be recorded in clinical results when the survivals are compared among clinical studies.

Incidence of unilateral distal vertebral artery aplasia: evaluation by combining basiparallel anatomic scanning-magnetic resonance imaging (BPAS-MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography.

PURPOSE: The incidence of a unilateral aplastic distal vertebral artery (VA) has been reported as 0.2% of cases on cerebral angiography. During our daily magnetic resonance (MR) examinations, however, we frequently encounter MR angiograms (MRAs) that do not demonstrate unilateral VA. The purpose of this study was to calculate the frequency of aplastic unilateral distal VA by MR images performed for asymptomatic people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a time span of 1 year, 237 asymptomatic people (140 men, 97 women; ages 28-67 years, mean 54.4 years) underwent brain MRI during a "brain check-up examination" in our hospital. To identify an aplastic unilateral distal VA, we retrospectively compared three-dimensional time-of-flight MRA with basiparallel anatomic scanning (BPAS)-MRI which was designed for recognition of the arterial outer contour. RESULTS: Aplasia of the unilateral distal VA was confirmed in 11 persons (4.6%). According to our classification, hypoplastic distal VA in 12 (5.1%) and asymptomatic acquired unilateral distal VA occlusion was also proved in 2 (0.8%). CONCLUSION: We found that the frequency of aplastic unilateral VA was 4.6% in asymptomatic people using a combination of MRA and BPAS-MRI for assessment of an intracranial VA.

Weekly paclitaxel and nedaplatin with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase I/II study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of nedaplatin and paclitaxel when given concurrently with radiation therapy (RT) for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Nedaplatin was administered at a fixed dose of 20 mg/m(2), and paclitaxel was administered at a starting dose of 30 mg/m(2) with an incremental increase of 5 mg/m(2) until dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) occurred in more than one-third of the patients. The chemotherapy was administered once a week for 6 weeks. The RT was given at a single daily dose of 2 Gy for 5 days per week. The pharmacokinetics of nedaplatin and paclitaxel were investigated. RESULTS: Overall, 20 patients were recruited and assigned to three different treatment groups: group 1 (paclitaxel 30 mg/m(2)), group 2 (paclitaxel 35 mg/m(2)) and group 3 (paclitaxel 40 mg/m(2)). Pulmonary toxicity was the main toxicity which occurred in 16 of 20 patients. In group 3, grades 3 and 4 pulmonary toxicity occurred in two of six patients and grade 3 esophagitis in one patient. The maximum tolerated dose of paclitaxel in this study was 40 mg/m(2) and the recommended dose of paclitaxel was therefore 35 mg/m(2). Four complete and 11 partial responses were observed, resulting in a 75% overall response rate. The area under the concentration-time curve of paclitaxel in group 3 was significantly higher than that in group 1. CONCLUSION: Nedaplatin 20 mg/m(2) and paclitaxel 35 mg/m(2) could be safely administered for NSCLC with concurrent thoracic RT, and this regimen was effective. The most important DLT was pulmonary toxicity.