Radioembolization plus Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Compared with Radioembolization plus Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate if combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization results in superior outcomes than those yielded by tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and 90Y for the treatment of intermediate- to advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A retrospective review of patients presented at an institutional multidisciplinary liver tumor board between January 1, 2012 and August 1, 2023 was conducted. In total, 44 patients with HCC who underwent 90Y 4 weeks within initiation of ICI or TKI therapy were included. Propensity score matching was conducted to account for baseline demographic differences. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and univariate statistics identified disease response and control rate differences. Duration of imaging response was defined as number of months between the first scan after therapy and the first scan showing progression as defined by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) or immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST). Adverse events were analyzed per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. RESULTS: Patients in the 90Y+ICI therapy group had better objective response rates (ORRs) (89.5% vs 36.8%; P < .001) and disease control rates (DCRs) (94.7% vs 63.2%; P < .001) by mRECIST and iRECIST (ORR: 78.9% vs 36.8%; P < .001; DCR: 94.7% vs 63.2%; P < .001). Median PFS (8.3 vs 4.1 months; P = .37) and OS (15.8 vs 14.3 months; P = .52) were not statistically different. Twelve patients (63.1%) in the 90Y+TKI group did not complete systemic therapy owing to adverse effects compared with 1 patient (5.3%) in the 90Y+ICI group (P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were not statistically different (90Y+TKI: 21.1%; 90Y+ICI: 5.3%; P = .150). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HCC who received 90Y+ICI had better imaging response and fewer regimen-altering adverse events than those who received 90Y+TKI. No significant combination therapy adverse events were attributable to radioembolization.

Comparison of 24-Month Clinical Outcomes after Prostatic Artery Embolization in Prostate Glands Larger versus Smaller than 80 mL: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: This review was undertaken to compare the clinical outcomes of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in patients with >80 versus <80 mL prostatic volume (PV) at the 24-month follow-up to determine whether PV predicted the effectiveness or durability of PAE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched for articles published between 2010 and 2022 using the search term "(prostat∗ artery embolization) AND (long term OR follow-up OR 24-month)." Articles were included if they discussed PAE for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and reported a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Articles with <10 patients were excluded. A subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate for any difference in clinical outcomes at the 24-month post-PAE follow-up between studies with a mean PV of >80 mL and those with a mean PV of <80 mL. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies with 2,260 patients were included, all of which demonstrated significant reduction in symptoms at the 24-month follow-up after PAE. Four studies were included as part of the >80-mL PV subgroup (n = 467), and 10 studies were included as part of the <80-mL PV subgroup (n = 1,793). There was a statistically significant difference between the mean preprocedural PV (128.5 vs 64.0 mL; P = .015). At the 24-month follow-up, there were no significant differences between groups across any of the compared parameters. The collective incidence of major adverse events reported in the studies within this review was <1%. CONCLUSIONS: PAE is both safe and durable for patients suffering from BPH and can be effective across a wide range of baseline PVs.

Fertility after Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Obstetric Hemorrhage: An Urban Health Care System Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate pregnancy rate, pregnancy outcomes, and resumption of menses after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for obstetric hemorrhage (OH). STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-seven patients who underwent TAE for OH from 2006 to 2020 within an urban, multihospital health care system were identified retrospectively. Selected patients were interviewed by phone to complete a survey with a primary outcome of self-reported pregnancy in those seeking pregnancy. Secondary outcomes included pregnancy outcomes and resumption of menses. Univariate testing of association of pregnancy and miscarriage rate with embolic agent was performed using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Thirty-three of 50 patients (66%) meeting the inclusion criteria completed the survey on fertility, a median of 47 (range, 13-123) months after TAE for OH. Of the 13 patients who attempted pregnancy, there was a pregnancy rate of 77% and miscarriage rate of 38%. Those who delivered live newborns conceived spontaneously, carried to term, and delivered a healthy newborn via cesarean section at a weight appropriate for gestational age. Thirty (91%) patients resumed menstruation, and the majority with unchanged frequency. Most patients underwent bilateral uterine artery embolization with radial artery access (54%). The most common embolic agents used were gelfoam only (30%) and glue only (24%). There was no statistically significant association between embolic agent and pregnancy or miscarriage rate. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous pregnancy with live birth and resumption of menses can occur in a majority of patients after TAE for OH. KEY POINTS: · Most patients who attempted pregnancy after TAE for OH achieved pregnancy.. · Most patients who became pregnant conceived spontaneously and delivered healthy newborns at term.. · Most patients resumed menstruation after TAE for OH.. · There was no significant association between type of embolic and pregnancy or miscarriage rate..

Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for the Treatment of Solitary, Unresectable HCC: The LEGACY Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Locoregional therapies, including yttrium-90 radioembolization, play an important role in the treatment of unresectable HCC. The aim of the LEGACY (Local radioEmbolization using Glass Microspheres for the Assessment of Tumor Control with Y-90) study was to evaluate objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR) in patients with solitary unresectable HCC treated with yttrium-90 glass microspheres. APPROACH AND RESULTS: LEGACY is a multicenter, single-arm, retrospective study conducted at three sites that included all eligible, consecutive patients with HCC treated with radioembolization between 2014 and 2017. Eligibility criteria included solitary HCC ≤ 8 cm, Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1. Primary endpoints were ORR and DoR based on modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors in the treated area (localized), as evaluated by blinded, independent, central review. Radioembolization was performed with intent of ablative-level dosimetry in a selective fashion when possible. Overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazards. Among the 162 patients included, 60.5% were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0, and the median tumor size was 2.7 cm (range: 1-8) according to blinded, independent, central review. Radioembolization served as neoadjuvant therapy for transplantation or resection in 21.0% (34 of 162) and 6.8% (11 of 162) of patients, respectively, and as primary treatment for all others. Median follow-up time was 29.9 months by reverse Kaplan-Meier. ORR (best response) was 88.3% (CI: 82.4-92.4), with 62.2% (CI: 54.1-69.8) exhibiting a DoR ≥ 6 months. Three-year overall survival was 86.6% for all patients and 92.8% for those neoadjuvant patients with resected or transplanted liver. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter study of radioembolization, clinical meaningful response rates and prolonged DoR were observed in the treatment of unresectable, solitary HCC ≤ 8 cm.

Survival Analysis Using Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) Grade for Patients Treated with Drug-Eluting Embolic Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade has been established as an improved predictor of survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with conventional transarterial chemoembolization and yttrium-90 radioembolization. The purpose of the study was to investigate the utility of ALBI grade in prognosticating outcomes in patients with HCC treated with drug-eluting embolic (DEE) transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective review was performed to compare the efficacy of ALBI grade and Child-Pugh (CP) classification in predicting the survival of patients with HCC receiving DEE-TACE. A total of 303 patients with HCC were identified who had received DEE-TACE without concomitant locoregional therapy within 30 days. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier methods and censored for curative therapy. Survival curves were stratified based on the ALBI grade, CP class, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and presence of ascites. The discriminatory ability of survival curves was calculated by C-Index. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survival curves stratified by the ALBI grade produced distinct, nonoverlapping curves (P < .001), showing greater discriminatory ability than the CP classification (C-index = 0.568 and 0.545, respectively). The substratification of the BCLC stage by the ALBI grade yielded greater discriminatory ability than the substratification by the CP classification (C-index = 0.573 and 0.565, respectively). For patients with BCLC stage B, the substratification by the ALBI grade yielded distinct curves, whereas the substratification by the CP classification did not (P = .011 and P = .379, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: ALBI grade showed improved discriminatory ability compared with CP classification in differentiating overall survival among patients with HCC receiving DEE-TACE. Furthermore, ALBI grade was effective in substratifying survival among patients categorized as CP class A and patients with BCLC stage B, whereas CP classification was not effective.

Contemporary Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Evolution of Catheter-based Therapy.

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) affects more than 100 000 people in the United States annually and is the third leading cardiovascular cause of death. The standard management for PE is systemic anticoagulation therapy. However, a subset of patients experience hemodynamic decompensation, despite conservative measures. Traditionally, these patients have been treated with systemic administration of thrombolytic agents or open cardiac surgery, although attempts at endovascular treatment have a long history that dates back to the 1960s. The technology for catheter-based therapy for acute PE is rapidly evolving, with multiple devices approved over the past decade. Currently available devices fall into two broad categories of treatment methods: catheter-directed thrombolysis and percutaneous suction thrombectomy. Catheter-directed thrombolysis is the infusion of thrombolytic agents directly into the occluded pulmonary arteries to increase local delivery and decrease the total dose. Suction thrombectomy involves the use of small- or large-bore catheters to mechanically aspirate a clot from the pulmonary arteries without the need for a thrombolytic agent. A thorough understanding of the various risk stratification schemes and the available evidence for each device is critical for optimal treatment of this complex entity. Multiple ongoing studies will improve our understanding of the role of catheter-based therapy for acute PE in the next 5-10 years. A multidisciplinary approach through PE response teams has become the management standard at most institutions. An invited commentary by Bulman and Weinstein is available online. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2022.

Single-System Experience With Outpatient Transradial Uterine Artery Embolization: Safety, Feasibility, Outcomes, and Early Rates of Return.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess feasibility and rate of patients returning to the hospital when a same-day discharge protocol is used for patients undergoing transradial uterine artery embolization (UAE) for symptomatic fibroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 374 patients who underwent transradial UAE with a same-day discharge protocol between April 2013 and June 2019, with documented follow-up, were included in this single-health-system retrospective study. Angiographic images and procedural reports were reviewed for technical success (defined as bilateral embolization). Electronic medical records were reviewed for patient and fibroid characteristics, adverse events, clinical success (defined as documented improvement in symptoms or patient satisfaction), and unplanned clinic visits, emergency department visits, and readmissions within 30 days of UAE. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for unplanned visits. RESULTS. Eight (2.1%) patients required conversion to inpatient stay (mean length of stay, 1.4 days; range, 1-3 days). The median postprocedure observation time was 3.7 hours (range, 1.1-12.5 hours). Technical success was achieved in 94.7% of patients, with 2.4% requiring crossover to the femoral artery for access. Clinical success was achieved in 86.0% of patients, with 6-month reductions in uterus and dominant leiomyoma volume of 30.4% and 42.9%, respectively. Rates of unplanned clinic visits, emergency department visits, and readmissions were 3.2%, 5.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. Patients with submucosal fibroids or pain as an indication for UAE were significantly more likely to have unplanned visits. CONCLUSION. Transradial UAE for symptomatic fibroids can be performed using a same-day discharge protocol with low rates of patients returning to the hospital. Submucosal location and pain as an indication for UAE were predictors of early return.

Safety and Efficacy of Locoregional Treatment during Immunotherapy with Nivolumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study of 41 Interventions in 29 Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety of locoregional treatment (LRT) combined with nivolumab for intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective review included 29 patients undergoing 41 LRTs-transarterial chemoembolization or yttrium-90 transarterial radioembolization-60 days before or concurrently with nivolumab. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory values and adverse events were reviewed before and after nivolumab initiation and after each LRT. Treatment response and time to progression were assessed using Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Clinical events, including nivolumab termination, death, and time of last follow-up, were assessed. RESULTS: Over a median nivolumab course of 8.1 months (range, 1.0-30) with a median of 14.2 2-week cycles (range, 1-53), predominantly Child-Pugh A (22/29) patients-12 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) B and 17 BCLC C-underwent 20 transarterial chemoembolization and 21 transarterial radioembolization LRTs at a median of 67 days (range, 48-609) after nivolumab initiation. Ten patients underwent multiple LRTs. During a median follow-up of 11.5 months (range, 1.8-35.1), no grade III/IV adverse events attributable to nivolumab were observed. There were five instances of grade III/IV hypoalbuminemia or hyperbilirubinemia within 3 months after LRT. There were no nivolumab-related deaths, and 30-day mortality after LRT was 0%. CONCLUSIONS: LRTs performed concurrently with nivolumab immunotherapy demonstrate an acceptable safety profile in patients with intermediate and advanced HCC.

Balloon-Occluded Transarterial Chemoembolization for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single-Center US Preliminary Experience.

This report describes a single-center experience with balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization for liver-directed therapy. A total of 26 patients (11 male, 4 female; mean age, 65 y ± 7) with 28 tumors (mean diameter, 2.7 cm; range, 1.1-5.9 cm) were treated. Technical success rate was 100% (28 of 28 cases), with 1 minor complication of left portal vein thrombosis and small liver infarct. Of the 15 tumors analyzed for response, 60% (9 of 15) exhibited complete response, 33.3% (5 of 15) exhibited partial response, and 6.6% (1 of 15) had stable disease on follow-up. Eight patients exhibited overall progression with a new hepatic lesion and a median time to progression of 7.9 months (range, 5-11 mo).

Patient Experience and Preference in Transradial versus Transfemoral Access during Transarterial Radioembolization: A Randomized Single-Center Trial.

PURPOSE: To determine patient preference for transradial access (TRA) or transfemoral access (TFA) after experiencing both. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted at a single institution. Thirty patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing mapping and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) were enrolled to experience 1 TRA and 1 TFA procedure each, with randomization of which access approach was experienced first. Surveys assessing pain and quality of life (QOL) were administered after each procedure. Access site preference was collected after completion of both procedures. RESULTS: Twenty-two subjects (73.3%) preferred TRA, 4 (13.3%) preferred TFA, and 4 (13.3%) had no preference; 14 (46.7%) reported bruising after TRA, and 17 (53.3%) reported bruising after TFA. TRA was associated with significantly lower pain scores overall during the procedure, at the access site during the procedure, and in the recovery room compared with TFA (2.0 vs 2.9, P = .0046; 2.0 vs 3.0, P = .0004; 2.1 vs 2.9, P = .0357). Pain score after discharge was not significantly different (1.4 vs 1.5, P = .4235). QOL scores were not significantly different between TRA and TFA. No significant differences were found for fluoroscopy time, air kerma, dose-area product, or procedure time between TRA and TFA for either mapping (P = .1442, P = .5871, P = .6667, P = .6131) or radioembolization (P = .8574, P = .2344, P = .1119, P =.8474). For radioembolizations, TRA had significantly shorter recovery times compared with TFA (108 min vs 153 min, P = .0193). CONCLUSIONS: Patients exhibited a strong preference for TRA. With TRA, patients experienced less periprocedural pain and shorter recovery times without significant differences in radiation exposure or procedure length.

Patient Radiation Exposure in Transradial versus Transfemoral Yttrium-90 Radioembolization: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare differences in patient radiation exposure (PRE) during transarterial yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization (TARE) between transradial access (TRA) and transfemoral access (TFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 810 consecutive first-time TARE procedures in patients from 2013 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. A propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis matched TRA and TFA groups on the basis of patient age, sex, weight, height, cancer type, 90Y microsphere type, and number of previous procedures from the same and opposite approaches. Matched groups were then compared by PRE measures fluoroscopy time (FT), dose-area product (DAP), and cumulative air kerma (AK). Effect size for each PRE measure was calculated. RESULTS: Before PSM, TRA and TFA groups differed significantly in mean age, weight, and number of previous procedures from the same and opposite approach (all P < .05). After PSM, each group consisted of 302 procedures (overall, n = 604) and no longer differed in any procedure performed before surgery measure. TRA did not differ from the matched TFA group regarding median FT (9.50 vs 9.40 minutes, P = .095), median DAP (67,066 vs 67,219 mGy·cm2; P = .19), or median AK (323.63 vs 248.46 mGy; P = .16). Effect sizes were 0.068, 0.054, and 0.110 for FT, DAP, and AK, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: No statistical differences were found for PRE measures between the matched TRA and TFA approach groups. Furthermore, practical effect sizes were considered to be small for AK and less than small for FT and DAP, and therefore, any differences in PRE between the radial and femoral approaches for TARE are minor and unlikely to be noticeable in everyday clinical practice.

Radiation Segmentectomy versus TACE Combined with Microwave Ablation for Unresectable Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Up to 3 cm: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

Purpose To compare the outcomes of radiation segmentectomy (RS) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of unresectable solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) up to 3 cm. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. From January 2010 to June 2015, a total of 417 and 235 consecutive patients with HCC underwent RS and TACE MWA, respectively. A cohort of 121 patients who had not previously undergone local-regional therapy (RS, 41; TACE MWA, 80; mean age, 65.4 years; 84 men [69.4%]) and who had solitary HCC up to 3 cm without vascular invasion or metastasis was retrospectively identified. Outcomes analyzed included procedure-related complications, laboratory toxicity levels, imaging response, time to progression (TTP), 90-day mortality, and survival. Propensity score matching was conducted by using a nearest-neighbor algorithm (1:1) to account for pretreatment clinical, laboratory, and imaging covariates. Postmatching statistical analysis was performed with conditional logistic regression for binary outcomes and the stratified log-rank test for time-dependent outcomes. Results Before matching, the complication rate was 8.9% and 4.9% in the TACE MWA and RS groups, respectively (P = .46). The overall complete response (CR) rate was 82.9% for RS and 82.5% for TACE MWA (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4, 2.8; P = .95). There were 41 (RS, 11; TACE MWA, 30) instances of progression occurring after an initial CR, of which 10 (24%) were classified as target progression (RS, one; TACE MWA, nine). Median overall TTP was 11.1 months (95% CI: 8.8 months, 25.6 months) in the RS group and 12.1 months (95% CI: 7.7 months, 19.1 months) in the TACE MWA group (P > .99). After matching, the overall CR rate (P = .94), TTP (P = .83), and overall survival (P > .99) were not significantly different between the two groups. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 0% in both groups. Conclusion Imaging response and progression outcomes of patients with solitary HCC up to 3 cm treated with RS were not significantly different when compared with those of patients treated with TACE MWA. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Transfemoral Filter Eversion Technique following Unsuccessful Retrieval of Option Inferior Vena Cava Filters: A Single Center Experience.

This report describes the technical feasibility of using the filter eversion technique after unsuccessful retrieval attempts of Option and Option ELITE (Argon Medical Devices, Inc, Athens, Texas) inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. This technique entails the use of endoscopic forceps to evert this specific brand of IVC filter into a sheath inserted into the common femoral vein, in the opposite direction in which the filter is designed to be removed. Filter eversion was attempted in 25 cases with a median dwell time of 134 days (range, 44-2,124 d). Retrieval success was 100% (25/25 cases), with an overall complication rate of 8%. This technique warrants further study.

Transradial Approach for Hepatic Radioembolization: Initial Results and Technique.

OBJECTIVE: The transradial approach (TRA) has been shown to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with arterial coronary interventions. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) performed via the TRA can enhance patient comfort, compared with the traditional transfemoral approach (TFA), by allowing immediate ambulation and precluding potential complications associated with the TFA, such as closure device injury or retroperitoneal hematoma. We report our initial experience with and technique for using the TRA for SIRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1, 2012, and April 30, 2015, a total of 574 procedures, including planning angiograms (n = 329) and infusions of 90Y (n = 245), were performed for 318 patients (mean age, 64.5 years). Of the 245 patients who received 90Y infusions, 52 had SIRT performed with the use of a permanent single-use implant of 90Y resin microspheres and 193 had SIRT performed with the use of millions of small glass microspheres containing radioactive 90Y. Procedural details, technical success, the radial artery (RA) occlusion rate noted at 30 days (as assessed via pulse examination), and the major and minor adverse events noted at 30 days were evaluated. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 561 of 574 cases (97.7%). The reasons for crossover to use of the TFA included an RA loop (n = 2), RA occlusion (n = 9), and type D response as determined by use of a Barbeau test (n = 2). Patients had undergone between zero and six previous TRA procedures. The mortality rate at 30 days was 0%. Superficial bruising occurred in 13 of 574 cases (2.3%). A grade 2 hematoma that required a second nonocclusive hemostasis cuff occurred in one case. Transient forearm numbness or pain occurred in two of 574 cases. One patient had a transient convulsive event occur after receiving intraarterial infusion of verapamil. RA occlusion occurred in nine of 574 cases (1.6%). CONCLUSION: Use of the TRA for SIRT is safe, feasible, and well tolerated and is associated with high rates of technical success and rare complications.

Venous Thromboembolism Management in Pregnant Patients.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) in pregnancy accounts for 10% of maternal deaths in the United States. As maternal morbidity and mortality continue to increase, it is imperative for all specialties interfacing with pregnant patients to understand the current research and guidelines surrounding risk stratification, diagnosis, and treatments of PE in pregnancy. Given the complexity of high-risk pregnancy-associated PE (PA-PE), that is, which is associated with hemodynamic instability or collapse, and the rising popularity of new technologies to treat high-risk PA-PE in the nonpregnant population, this review aims to emphasize the differences in diagnosis, risk stratification, and management of the pregnant and nonpregnant PE patients. Furthermore, this review will cover treatment paradigms that include anticoagulation versus advanced therapies such as systemic thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and inferior vena cava disruption as well as the more novel therapies which fall under the umbrella term of catheter-based treatments. Finally, this review will include a case-based review of 2 patients with PA-PE requiring catheter-based therapies and their ultimate clinical outcomes.

Leveraging the virtual learning environment to enhance medical student engagement with interventional radiology.

PURPOSE: To evaluate medical student engagement with Interventional Radiology (IR) before and after a virtual elective course. METHODS: The elective was nine, one-hour lectures over ten weeks. An anonymous pre and post-course survey was administered to students. The hypothesis was that this course would increase student engagement with IR. Respondents answered nine questions to score their interest in, exposure to, familiarity with, and understanding of IR using a five-point Likert scale. Demographics were reported for the pre-course group only. A Wilcoxon signed-ranked test was performed to assess for significant mean change in pre and post-course responses. Among the 276 registered students, there were 144 individual, complete responses for the pre-course survey, and 60 paired responses for both surveys. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of respondents were first or second year medical students. Thirty percent of participants were enrolled at an institution outside of the United States, 26% are the first in their family to attend college, and 41% identified as female. Thirty-six percent reported this virtual course was one of their earliest experiences with IR. There was a significant increase in student exposure to IR generally, familiarity with IR compared to other specialties, familiarity with the IR training pathway(s), understanding of what an Interventional Radiologist does, understanding of the difference between IR and Diagnostic Radiology, and understanding of when to consult IR for patient care after completion of the course. CONCLUSION: A virtual IR elective is an effective means to increase exposure to, familiarity with, and understanding of IR.

Double-barrel iliocaval reconstruction using closed-cell dedicated venous stents.

OBJECTIVE: Double-barrel iliocaval reconstruction is performed by deploying two stents simultaneously in a side-by-side, or "double-barrel," configuration in the inferior vena cava (IVC) with extension into the bilateral common iliac veins. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of double-barrel reconstruction using closed-cell dedicated venous stents for the treatment of iliocaval deep venous thrombosis and iliac vein compression syndrome. METHODS: All endovascular procedural reports comprising vascular surgery and interventional radiology operators from a single urban academic hospital between May 1, 2019, and April 30, 2021, were retrospectively searched. A cohort of 22 consecutive patients who underwent double-barrel iliocaval stenting with closed-cell dedicated venous stents for chronic or acute-on-chronic iliocaval venous disease without prior endovascular iliocaval repair was identified. Baseline characteristics, procedural data, and patient outcomes were determined via a manual review of preprocedure clinical notes, diagnostic imaging studies, procedure notes and images, and follow-up clinical notes. RESULTS: The median (range) age was 59 (27-81) years, and the cohort consisted of 59.1% female. The most common presenting symptoms of venous disease were lower extremity swelling (90.9%) and pain (50.0%). CEAP clinical classification was C3 in 86.4% of patients, whereas the remainder had C4 disease. Most patients (72.7%) had post-thrombotic syndrome, 22.7% had a nonthrombotic iliac vein lesion, and one patient (4.5%) had the congenital absence of the infrarenal IVC. A total of 40.9% of patients had a pre-existing IVC filter at the time of treatment. Six of the 22 patients underwent concurrent pharmacomechanical thrombectomy during the index iliocaval reconstruction and stenting procedure. The number of stents placed ranged from 2 to 5. With a mean follow-up period of 7.1 months, ranging from 12 days to 16.7 months, the freedom from reintervention rate was 90.9%. Twenty of 22 patients achieved subjective improvement or resolution of symptoms. The major adverse event rate was 9.1%, as two patients had access site complications requiring intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Double-barrel iliocaval reconstruction with closed-cell dedicated venous stents for the treatment of post-thrombotic syndrome or iliac vein compression syndrome is technically feasible and clinically effective with a low reintervention rate.

Intrahepatic flow diversion prior to segmental Yttrium-90 radioembolization for challenging tumor vasculature.

Background: Hepatic tumors with complex vascular supply or poor relative perfusion are prone to decreased rates of objective response. This is compounded in the setting of Yttrium-90 (Y90) transarterial radioembolization (TARE), which is minimally embolic and flow-dependent, relying on high threshold dose for complete response. Objective: We describe our experience with intrahepatic flow diversion (FD) prior to TARE of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with challenging vascular supply. Materials and methods: Between April 2014 and January 2020, 886 cases of coinciding MAA or TARE and bland embolization or temporary occlusion were identified. Intraprocedural embolizations performed for more routine purposes were excluded. FD was performed by bland embolization or temporary occlusion of vessels supplying non-malignant parenchyma in cases where flow was not preferential to target tumor. Lesion characteristics, vascular supply, treatment approach, angiography, and adverse events (AEs) were reviewed. Radiographic response was assessed using mRECIST criteria. Results: 22 cases of FD of focal HCC were identified. Embolics included calibrated microspheres (n â€‹= â€‹11), microcoils (n â€‹= â€‹4), gelfoam (n â€‹= â€‹3), temporary balloon occlusion (n â€‹= â€‹2) and temporary deployment of a microvascular plug (n â€‹= â€‹1). Post-treatment SPECT-CT dosimetry coverage was concordant with target lesions in all cases. Mean follow-up was 16.7 months (1.4-45 â€‹mos). Tumor-specific response per mRECIST was 41% complete response, 50% objective response, and 59% disease control rate. No major adverse events or grade 3/4 hepatotoxicity were reported. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that FD prior to TARE is safe and potentially effective in treating HCC with complex vascular supply or poor tumor perfusion.

Integrated use of PD-1 inhibition and transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: evaluation of safety and efficacy in a retrospective, propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Integrated use of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), a locoregional inducer of immunogenic cell death, with ICI has not been formally assessed for safety and efficacy outcomes. METHODS: From a retrospective multicenter dataset of 323 patients treated with ICI, we identified 31 patients who underwent >1 TACE 60 days before or concurrently, with nivolumab at a single center. We derived a propensity score-matched cohort of 104 patients based on Child-Pugh Score, portal vein thrombosis, extrahepatic metastasis and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) who received nivolumab monotherapy. We described overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective responses according to modified RECIST criteria and safety in the multimodal arm in comparison to monotherapy. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 9.3 (IQR 4.0-16.4) months, patients undergoing multimodal immunotherapy with TACE achieved a significantly longer median (95% CI) PFS of 8.8 (6.2-23.2) vs 3.7 (2.7-5.4) months (log-rank 0.15, p<0.01) in the monotherapy group. Multimodal immunotherapy with TACE demonstrated a numerically longer OS compared with ICI monotherapy with a median 35.1 (16.1-Not Evaluable) vs 16.6 (15.7-32.6) months (log-rank 0.41, p=0.12). In the multimodal treatment group, there were three (10%) grade 3 or higher adverse events (AEs) attributed to immunotherapy compared with seven (6.7%) in the matched ICI monotherapy arm. There were no AEs grade 3 or higher attributed to TACE in the multimodal treatment arm. At 3 months following each TACE in the multimodal arm, there was an overall objective response rate of 84%. There were no significant changes in liver functional reserve 1 month following each TACE. Four patients undergoing multimodal treatment were successfully bridged to transplant. CONCLUSIONS: TACE can be safely integrated with programmed cell death 1 blockade and may lead to a significant delay in tumor progression and disease downstaging in selected patients.